Fly-tipping is costing Scotland £9m a year to clear up - Steve Cardownie

The most recent fly-tipping incident at the New Kingsknowe, with a full bathroom suite dumped at the back of the pub.

The manager could not disguise his anger and frustration when he said that a bathroom suite had been dumped behind his pub last weekend stating, ”We were obviously angry when we discovered it the next morning. Not only is this totally unacceptable it also incurs unneeded costs on the pub to have it removed. Hopefully it brings an end to this issue, and if not, at least we can identify the culprits.”

Unfortunately, as we know to our cost, this anti-social activity is not just confined to one specific area but is prevalent throughout the city.

I have had the misfortune to witness the mess that fly-tippers regularly leave in the woods at Gypsy Brae, a photograph of which has been shown in my column.

They choose this site deliberately, safe in the knowledge that there is no CCTV to record their nefarious exploits and caring not one jot about the blight they inflict on this woodland setting.

Zero Waste Scotland reported two years ago that “There are over 60,000 incidents of fly-tipping reported each year in Scotland, costing over £8.9 million of public money to clear up.”

To report fly- tipping in Edinburgh you can use the City of Edinburgh Council’s online form, email [email protected] or call them on 0131 200 2000.

If possible members of the public should specifically identify the location, describe what was dumped, provide any information they may have about the vehicle involved and hopefully give the registration of the vehicle involved.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is also well aware of the incidence of fly-tipping and works with partners such as Police Scotland and local authorities to investigate large scale industrial fly-tipping in communities.

I have no sympathy for these anti-social elements. This illegal dumping is all about convenience or money. There are sufficient official waste dumps in the city.

Forgive the terminology, but if they are caught, I would throw the book at them!