Fly-tipping cost taxpayers in Telford and Wrekin £200k in just a year
Fly-tipping has cost taxpayers in Telford and Wrekin more than £200,000 in the last year, it has been revealed.
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Residents are being encouraged to take 'pride in the borough' after research by Network Rail for Global Recycling Day yesterday (March 18) revealed that 23 per cent of Brits are unaware that fly-tipping is a criminal offence punishable by fines or prosecution.
In light of the findings, Telford & Wrekin Council has announced that it has cost more than £200,000 of taxpayers money to deal with fly-tipping incidents in the region.
It said the most common fly-tip offence has been a car boot-load or less, or even a single item such as a mattress or large electrical item.
The council said the costs to clear up the fly-tipped waste are "avoidable".
Network Rail said only 54 per cent of Gen Z individuals - born between the mid-1990s and around 2010 - know that fly-tipping is a criminal offence, compared with 82 per cent of Gen Xers - individuals born between the mid-1960s and the early 1980s - and 92 per cent of Boomers - people born between roughly 1946 to 1964.
Telford & Wrekin Council said the recycling rate in the borough is 48.2 per cent - higher than the England average.
Residents have been encouraged to recycle and dispose of waste responsibly with household recycling centres and kerbside collections available.
The local authority said there is "no reason to resort to dumping old mattresses, white goods, or unwanted items in alleyways, parks, or rural spots".
The council's deputy leader and cabinet member for highways, housing and enforcement, Councillor Richard Overton, said: "It doesn’t matter what age you are, tipping a mattress, electrical items or a bin bag full of rubbish in the street causes a nuisance and makes our estates look ugly and rundown. Plus, there are so many responsible ways to dispose of waste in Telford and Wrekin, there is no reason to.
"Fly-tipping is not only a crime, but also antisocial and affects the lives of those law-abiding borough residents who do their best to keep the borough clean, making use of our waste collection services and recycling. We will not hesitate to bring fly-tippers to justice and issue the justified £1,000 fines if caught.
"Fly-tipping isn’t just bad manners - it’s a crime. Let’s take pride in our borough by reporting incidents to the council or Crimestoppers and encouraging others to recycle responsibly. Together, we can make Telford and Wrekin a cleaner, greener place to live."
The council reminded residents that its two household recycling centres in Hortonwood and Halesfield are open 362 days a year. Garden waste can be taken to the centres while there is a free fortnightly green bin collection.
A kerbside recycling service is also available for glass, paper, plastics and special collections for bulky items.
