Tories tackle fly-tippers

THE CONSERVATIVES have announced a campaign to tackle fly-tipping in the countryside, a problem that costs the Environment Agency £150m/year.

The Tories held a seminar on Thursday (Jul 1) bringing together interested parties to explore causes and consider possible solutions to the growing problem in the countryside.

“We had a thorough meeting and discussed how in some areas they are beginning to see some success.

“In Kent for example the police are treating fly-tipping as a serious crime and are using intelligence, existing legislation and modern technology such as CCTV,” said Richard Ottaway, Conservative spokesman on the Environment.

“The real problem is that many communities are facing is commercial waste,” he added.

“Where there is development, there is usually fly-tipping. What is clear is that local authorities, the police and the EA must work together to counter it.”

Mr Ottaway told the seminar that in some areas organised crime is largely responsible for fly-tipping and that a national strategy was needed to tackle it.

“Much more needs to be done to tackle the dumping of waste in our countryside and towns,” he said.

“We need a forum for dispersal of best practice, a greater national strategy to tackle it and we need to make sure the police have the powers they need to catch those illegally dumping.”