A new partnership has been put together to tackle fly-tipping and waste crime in Dorset with the launch of the SCRAP fly-tipping campaign.
The partnership includes Dorset Police, BCP Council, Dorset Council , and the Environment Agency, together with other representative bodies and conservation groups, to target illegal waste carriers who dump, burn or bury waste for money.
The campaign aims to ensure householders, businesses and landowners understand how they can help when it comes to waste.
Between April 2020 and January 2021 there were 1,501 incidents of fly-tipping reported to Dorset Council – costing £60,840 to clear up. This is only a small proportion of the problem as many fly-tipping incidents take place on private land which are not reported, but they still lead to a clean-up costs for landowners.
All fly-tipping damages our environment and sense of well-being. As Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, David Sidwick, said: “Fly-tipping and other types of waste crime are a blight on our neighbourhoods, communities and environment”
The campaign is based around the SCRAP code, which tells people how to follow their duty of care when they have got waste to get rid of:
- Suspect all waste carriers until they have provided their licence
- Check their licence details on the public register for waste carriers
- Refuse unexpected offers to take your waste away
- Ask how your rubbish will be disposed of
- Paperwork – get an invoice or receipt for the waste they’re taking, including their contact details.
If you produce waste, at home or from a business, you have a responsibility to ensure it is disposed of legally and safely. This means making sure anyone who is handling your waste is licensed to do so. It is vital that you take steps to check that your rubbish will be disposed of correctly and that you are confident you know where it will end up. Be especially wary of “Man in a Van” services promoted online via social media – if they end up fly-tipping your waste, you run the risk of a fine or even legal action. Any legitimate waste carrier will be able to tell you where they are taking your waste, what will happen to it and to give you a receipt including their contact details.
Waste criminals take advantage of people who are unaware of their duty of care, undercutting legitimate businesses by disposing of waste at cheap prices. These prices are cheap because the waste is being dumped, buried or burnt at little or no cost.
It’s not just householders or businesses who suffer at the hands of waste criminals; farmers and other landowners are also vulnerable, and the campaign is also working with the National Farmers Union and Countryside Landowners Association to provide guidance on how to protect themselves from waste crime and boost the intelligence collected by enforcement agencies.
Find out how you can help prevent fly-tipping – as well as what to do if you spot a fly-tip – on the SCRAP webpage.: https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/bins-recycling-and-litter/reducing-and-reusing/current-campaigns-and-offers/scrap-flytipping.aspx
You can also find out more about home recycling and bin collection and your local recycling centres on the Dorset Council website.