Bristol Waste Company, in partnership with Bristol City Council’s Neighbourhood Enforcement Team and in support of the Mayor’s Clean Streets campaign, has launched Operation Waste Watch in an effort to catch fly-tipping offenders red-handed.
The campaign will focus on positioning covert cameras in areas that experience frequent dumping of illegal waste.
The main targets are bulky waste like fridges and furniture, black bags and other waste that obstructs the pavement or clogs pathways. Individuals who are captured dumping illegal waste will be prosecuted.
“We spend a large amount of resources on clearing fly-tipping from our streets and pavements every year,” says Councillor Kye Dudd, cabinet member for energy, waste and regulatory services.
“Alleviating this pressure would mean that Bristol Waste crews can spend more time on the other essential jobs they do to keep our city tidy.”
“We spend a large amount of resources on clearing fly-tipping from our streets and pavements every year. Alleviating this pressure would mean that Bristol Waste crews can spend more time on the other essential jobs they do to keep our city tidy.”
The local community also welcomes the initiative. Rob Umphray from Keep Bristol Tidy notes that, “huge efforts have been made to encourage people to accept responsibility for the waste that they produce.
“However, there are numbers of residents, landlords and businesses from across the spectrum, who continue to fly-tip and dump their waste regardless of the negative effects on communities and businesses alike.”
“Modern cameras will produce high quality evidence, said Umphray. “This will help hold responsible those whose actions blight our communities by prosecution via the legal system.”
A maximum fine of £50,000 could be given to anyone who is caught dumping waste. Fly-tipping also poses serious health and safety risks, encourages anti-social behaviour and, in public spaces, can cause access problems for people who are disabled, visually impaired or use prams and pushchairs.
Bristol Waste wants to remind residents that they can help keep our streets clean by reporting fly-tipping at bristol.gov.uk/flytipping.