New crackdown on expensive and illegal fly tipping announced

Fly tipping is an illegal eyesore which costs taxpayers hundreds of thousands of pounds every year. That is the view of the man leading a new county-wide crackdown against the dumping of waste.
Around 1,000 incidents of fly tipping are reported in Northamptonshire every month - at a cost of £650,000 per year.
Items such as fridges, sofas and mattresses are joined by garden waste, tyres and construction waste.
The Northamptonshire Waste Partnership, consisting of Northamptonshire County Council and the seven district and borough councils, is increasing its efforts to address this issue by raising awareness about the problem. The partnership's chairman Chris Millar said: "Fly tipping costs the county hundreds of thousands of pounds each year. It’s an eyesore, it’s illegal and there’s simply no excuse.
"In the current financial climate, it’s clear that we need to address this issue so that taxpayers are no longer forced to pick up the bill for other people’s selfishness."
The new crackdown will see the appointment of a fly tipping enforcement co-ordinator based within the county council’s trading standards service.
The officer will work with all the councils to investigate and prosecute people who fly tip. 
Methods available will include the use of SmartWater to trace fly tipped rubbish back to its source and CCTV to catch fly tippers in the act.
Work will also take place to raise residents‘awareness about their responsibilities when disposing of waste, or paying someone to remove it for them.
Anyone caught not using a registered waste carrier will face a fine of up to £5,000, while those who fly tip could be fined up to £50,000.
Councillor Heather Smith, county council cabinet member for highways, minerals and waste said: “Whether you’re having work done on your house or just a clear out, you need to make sure your rubbish ends up in the right place and not just dumped on the side of the road.
"You can take items to your nearest household waste recycling centre but if you are paying for someone to remove your rubbish for you, you must make sure that person has a waste carrier’s license. 
"Businesses have to pay to leave rubbish at a recycling centre, so there’s a chance that some unscrupulous traders might take your money and fly tip your rubbish – if you’ve not checked them out first, you could still be held responsible and risk a hefty fine."
The responsibility for clearing fly tipped rubbish lies with the landowner, which means county residents often have to foot the bill for clearing up rubbish left on their land.
As part of the initiative, enforcement officers will be working with landowners so that they are aware of what they need to do when dealing with fly tipped rubbish. 
Similarly, information will be distributed to businesses to ensure they fully understand their legal responsibilities when it comes to dealing with waste.
Anyone who sees fly tipped rubbish or who sees fly tipping happening is encouraged to report it to their district or borough council.
Cllr Millar said: "We are working to crack down on fly tipping and need everyone’s help to do this successfully; otherwise this unsightly and expensive problem will just continue to grow."
For more information about fly tipping and how to dispose of waste people can visit www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/flytipping
To report fly tipping, people can contact their local district or borough council or visit www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/flytipping