A WARNING has gone out to people having waste collected to ensure it is disposed of properly following a large illegal dumping of rubbish on land off the Alvechurch Highway in Lickey.
Coun Margaret Sherrey, whose portfolio covers Environmental services, said: “Fly-tipping is a blight on our beautiful countryside and a problem which is incredibly difficult to solve due to the rural nature of these sites.
“Our teams work around the clock to deter and clean up after these criminals to ensure that our roads and open spaces remain safe for residents.”
She urged residents to do their bit too by reporting fly-tipping incidents so culprits could be caught and brought to justice.
She also said people should avoid hiring a ‘man with a van’ and instead use a reputable company as the person sanctioning waste collection can also face substantial fines if rubbish is dumped.
Coun Peter McDonald, who brought the latest incident to the county and district councils’ attention, called for action to be taken against those illegally disposing of the waste, saying it was becoming more common.
“Dumping foreign objects in places they don’t belong can have a huge impact on the natural, social and economic environment.
“Potential chemicals in such waste can contaminate soil and if the land is owned by someone whose livelihood depends entirely on soil conditions, fly-tipping can have a catastrophic effect.
“When people look for a place to fly-tip, the main criteria are that it has to be a quiet, remote location where they won’t get caught.
“What they don’t consider is the location of their waste can have real repercussions on the surrounding environment.”
He added what really riled him was there was a recycling centre was only a short distance away.
“The people doing this need to be caught and brought to justice.”
People can visit environment.data.gov.uk to search for reputable and registered waste carriers.
