Hopping Mad

Freddie the Fly-tip Frog is jumping up and down with rage at the prospect of clearing up the fly-tipped rubbish from roadsides and lay-bys.

Freddie’s motto, “Dumping fly-tip forces fines”, should act as a warning to those anti-social people who think this behaviour is acceptable.

Bags of dumped rubbish are examined for names and addresses, and the Council is increasing its amount of CCTV coverage of lay-bys across the county.

People found dumping rubbish will be prosecuted!

Freddie’s main concern is the rubbishing of Herefordshire’s countryside, spoiling it for locals and visitors alike and of course, ruining the kind of habitats he likes to live in.

Andrew Tector, Head of Environmental Health & Trading Standards, said: “Nationally it costs the country £100 per minute to clear away fly-tipped rubbish.

“In Herefordshire there is an average annual cost of approximately £26,000. At this time of year we create lots of cuttings in preparing our gardens for winter, and this is often carried out by ‘professionals’ who then dump the rubbish rather than pay trade waste fees

“However, these are not the only culprits and the problem is year long with people dumping old furniture, ‘fridges, mattresses and other household goods just where they feel like it.

“Additionally we have the problem of abandoned vehicles being used as waste skips – increasing the risk from fire as vandals see these vehicles as good bonfire material!”

A national database called ‘Flycapture’ collects information from all local authorities across the country, illustrating what a huge problem fly-tipping is.

In 2004/05 Herefordshire Council collected over 20 tonnes of fly-tipped rubbish.

Cllr Phil Edwards, Cabinet Member (Environment), said: “I find this kind of anti-social behaviour extremely hard to understand.

“If people are able to transport their rubbish to a lay-by or roadside, they could just as easily take it to a Household Waste Site where it can be disposed of properly.

“Why create a blot on the landscape and a cost that we all have to bear in carrying out the cleaning up process?”

There are five Household Waste Sites across Herefordshire where the public (not businesses) are able to dispose of garden and household waste including white goods and furniture.

By using these facilities people can not only reduce fly-tipping but also add to the waste that can be recycled.

The Streetscene hotline for reporting environmental issues such as flytipping, graffiti, and excess litter is (01432) 261800 or e-mail streets@herefordshire.gov.uk.

Streetscene is for everyone and encourages everyone to do their ‘bit’ in keeping Herefordshire the place we all want it to be.

‘Stamp out the bad – Enhance the good’