In April, we explored the issue of fly tippers following a shocking BBC documentary which asked why so few offenders end up in court. Fly tipping is the illegal deposit of any waste onto land that does not have a licence to accept it.

And perhaps the situation hasn’t really improved since then given the horrifying number of news reports about fly tipping. But are the £50,000 fines and prison sentences strong enough?

Possibly not. However, there are some issues which aren’t helping the problem:

Are attitudes too lax?

Local authorities in the East of England and Midlands have been accused of being too lenient by not issuing enough warnings and fines. But in Gateshead, local authorities have responded to criticism by coming up with a new scheme to try and find the addresses of potential offenders. Meanwhile, a Welsh council leader has also called for more enforcement officers to be employed.

Are bins actually quite literally rubbish?

Residents in Ipswich are arguing that some of their bins are badly designed and are diverting people away from the tip. And some residents living on a Glasgow street have similar concerns. They say that when their large bins overflow, people dump additional rubbish at the side.

Does tip booking systems actually work?

To reduce the spread of Covid, a booking system for tips was introduced. The idea behind it was to make sure that not too many people would be there at the same time. But according to local authorities in Milton Keynes and Boston, the new system actually caused more fly tipping because people couldn’t be bothered to book a time.

Do we need more cameras?

If the actions of at least half a dozen councils is anything to go by, then possibly yes. But soon, cameras will be installed in beauty spots across North Tyneside, Chester, Coventry and Leicester. In North Somerset recently, an offender was given a suspended prison sentence and fine. That result means councillors are bringing in cameras to help catch even more.

If you need help disposing of your waste legally and safely, then you can call on CBS Waste to help. You will receive a Waste Transfer Notice to prove your rubbish isn’t being fly tipped. Contact us via our website, email info@cbs-waste.org or call us on 01480 220434.