West Lothian Council condemns fly tippers responsible for 50 tonnes of waste
West Lothian Council is working to remove around 50 tonnes of illegally dumped waste after items including gas cylinders and builder’s rubble were discarded in Craigswood, Livingston.
The council is advising local volunteers not to remove the fly tipped items as specialist teams are likely required to some potential hazardous items. Following the discovery of large-scale commercial waste the council said the ‘culprits should be ashamed of themselves.’
The local authority added: “Nobody should be left to clean up someone else’s mess yet they believe they can treat our communities in this way. It is dangerous and it is completely unnecessary.
“Our Enforcement Officers have attended and we will do everything we can to find those responsible and take all necessary action. Fly tipping is illegal. Anyone caught could be fined up to £40,000 or face prosecution.”
Local group, West Lothian Litter Pickers, have assisted the council, bagging smaller items and loose domestic waste for the council to uplift.
West Lothian Council issued further guidance to residents, reminding householders they should ensure companies they pay for waste removal are licenced to dispose of it adding ‘if an offer to collect and dispose of your waste sounds too good to be true, it probably is.’
West Lothian Council said: “Businesses disposing of waste need to be licenced with SEPA to ensure what is being disposed of is safe and legal. It is your responsibility to check that anyone you pay to collect and dispose of your waste is genuine and will take the waste to a properly licenced waste disposal site.
“You should ask for their Waste Carrier Registration number and check it against SEPA's Waste Carriers Register which is online. Keep a note of these and ask for a receipt which confirms what they have taken and where they will dispose of it.”