Three county approach to tackle fly-tipping
To build on the launch of Oxfordshire Waste Partnership’s new fly-tipping campaign, local authorities in Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire have partnered up to encourage residents and businesses in their local areas to help reduce this menace.
A series of roadshows will be held across the counties over the next few weeks. In Oxfordshire councils are working through Oxfordshire Waste Partnership (OWP) to run roadshows between 1st and 11th September 2009.
The events taking place outside builder merchants are designed to inform small businesses, such as plumbers, plasterers and builders, that they have a legal responsibility to ensure their rubbish is disposed off correctly and how they can check the trader they use is registered. Businesses will also be reminded about where they can dispose of their waste.
The events taking place outside shopping centres will inform residents that they must check the trader they use to take away their waste is a registered waste carrier. Householders will also be reminded about where they can dispose of their waste.
Cllr John Tanner, OWP chair, says: “Fly-tipping is a blight on our county, our towns and our villages. We hope that by partnering up with surrounding authorities we will be able to get the support of local people and businesses to dispose of their waste correctly and help make a significant contribution to the reduction of fly-tipping.”
Mark Harmon environmental protection manager from Cherwell District Council, chairs an OWP group of officers from around the county charged with improving the cleanliness of our streets and countryside. He says: “Fly-tipping is a serious offence that Oxfordshire councils take very seriously. People caught dumping rubbish illegally can be arrested, fined up to £50,000 at Magistrates Court, be imprisoned and get a criminal record. If a householder or business fails to make the necessary checks when disposing of their waste they too could be fined up to £5,000.”
Residents are urged to report incidents where they see waste being dumped illegally to their district council.
- Oxfordshire events as follows:
- Cherwell, Wickes, Southam Road, 1st September, 9:30am – 4pm
- Oxford City (inpartnership with officers from Bucks County Council), Cowley Retail Park, 8th September, 9am – 4pm.
- South Oxfordshire (in partnership with officers from Reading Borough Council), 11th September, Focus DIY, Wallingford Road, Didcot, 9am – 4pm.
- Vale of White Horse, Tesco, Abingdon, 3rd September, 9am – 12pm.
- West Oxfordshire, Focus DIY, Thorney Leys Park, Witney, 9th September, 2-5pm.
- OWP councils work together to continuously improve waste management services within the county.
