Fly-tippers dumped 91 tonnes of waste in West Lothian in just three months

West Lothian Council is planning a new summer campaign to target fly-tippers as costs continue to soar.
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Let us know what you think and join the conversation at the bottom of this article.In a report to Linlithgow’s Local Area Committee, the NETs Land and Countryside teams revealed that fly-tipping across the county had cost the council £60,098 from 1 January to the end of March this year county wide. And among the piles left behind at roadsides and country lanes was potentially deadly asbestos, which requires specialist removal teams.

Those costs were made up by the working and vehicle costs to lift and dispose of waste illegally dumped- amounting to 91 tonnes.

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The number of enquiries received between January 1 and March 31 for the town was 35 out of 730 enquiries for the whole of West Lothian equating to 4.8 per cent of fly-tipping enquiries .

Dumped waste blights the countrysideDumped waste blights the countryside
Dumped waste blights the countryside

Percentage-wise this would equate to an approximate cost for the town of £2,884.70 for disposal of fly tipping between 1 January 2021 and 31 March 2021 including cost for Staff/vehicles. This does not include the removal of asbestos by the Councils asbestos team.

Countryside manager Andy Johnston told the meeting that he was discussion with the council communication team working on new messages to go out through the council channels- including over social media- next month.

The police are also increasingly working with council officers on incidents of fly-tipping. A rural crime unit is also looking at off road motorcycle use in the countryside as well anti-social behaviour in areas such as Beecraigs.

Commercial waste dumped at the roadsideCommercial waste dumped at the roadside
Commercial waste dumped at the roadside
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Fly-tipping remains a civil offence and, as such, fines remain disproportionately low for those convicted. Moves are afoot to criminalise fly-tipping and local authorities are working with national bodies such as Zero Waste Scotland .

On its website Zero Waste Scotland issued an appeal to the public to help crack down on dumb dumpers on public and private land highlighting the costs to farmers to remove waste tipped.

It added: “Dealing with litter and fly-tipping costs an eye watering £53 million of public money in Scotland every year, and that’s only in relation to public land.”

A room with a view... dumped waste ruins a beauty spotA room with a view... dumped waste ruins a beauty spot
A room with a view... dumped waste ruins a beauty spot

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