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Dedicated team to tackle fly-tipping

Tue 20 Sep 2016
Ealing Council has created a new team to tackle the borough’s fly-tipping hotspots and find evidence to prosecute the offenders.

Three new trucks will be used solely for collecting fly-tipped rubbish from the most severely affected areas, and manned by both waste teams and environmental enforcement officers.

The trucks are marked with posters warning people of the penalties of fly-tipping. Since 15 August 2016 the fine has increased to up to £400.

The council set up this facility in direct response to the growing number of fly-tipped rubbish in some areas of the borough. It’s in addition to the council’s normal street cleansing service that already deals with fly-tipping.

The council has been tackling the problem through a mixed approach of giving thousands of residents one-to-one advice and support on the doorstep on how to use their new wheelie bins, alongside tough enforcement.

But very little enforcement action has taken place so far as the dumping continues every day. The people who do the dumping don’t want any advice.

Going out with one of the new trucks, Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for environment, transport and leisure, and Councillor Julian Bell, leader of Ealing Council, saw at first hand the amount of rubbish that regularly gets illegally dumped.

They have also been made aware of this by residents who are literally sick and tired of nothing being done to address the issue. They see no visible signs of any crackdown so far.

When a single spot, yards away from Southall Broadway, requires 3 EXTRA clean ups PER WEEK, you know the situation is out of control. Reporting it to the Council won’t fix it. Residents will simply get tired of reporting it AGAIN and AGAIN. They want to see some ENFORCEMENT action, not just talk.

Councillor Mahfouz, said: "The vast majority of residents dispose of their waste appropriately and legally. Like me, they are disgusted when they see a disrespectful minority fly-tip on our streets."

"There is never any excuse for disposing of rubbish illegally. It’s disgusting, an eye sore and dangerous. We’re cracking down on those who deliberately dirty our neighbourhoods by coming down on them hard. Let me send a clear message to anyone who feels they can dump rubbish on Ealing’s streets. We will find you and we will fine you."

Councillor Bell, added: "These new trucks and our enforcement staff are helping to tackle the worst examples of fly-tipping in the borough. We are determined to prosecute anyone who persists in illegally dumping their rubbish on our streets."

To report fly-tipped rubbish or anyone fly-tipping visit www.ealing.gov.uk/reportit or call the dedicated hotline on 020 8825 8825.

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