Fly tipping-2
Governance/Legal/Democratic

Fly tippers caught and prosecuted thanks to public vigilance

Corporate Enforcement Officers from East Ayrshire Council are encouraging the public to keep reporting fly tipping, after recent success in bringing a prosecution to Court.  And they’re warning anyone fly tipping or using non-registered waste carriers to remove waste that they can be at risk of a fixed penalty of £500 if it’s found fly-tipped.

Thanks to the vigilance of numerous people who reported the incident, and the persistence and determination of the Council’s officers, the offender responsible was fined £200 and ordered to pay £450 to the Council for the removal of waste they’d fly tipped on Treeswoodhead Road, Kilmarnock.

Praising the officers of the Corporate Enforcement Team, whose clever detective work led to the prosecution,  Councillor Jim McMahon, Cabinet Spokesperson for Community Safety said: “ The team was tenacious with this investigation, visiting addresses all over the West of Scotland. It’s a credit to them that they were able to gather enough evidence to bring this fly tipper to justice.

“A large amount of waste from a kitchen refit, including appliances, kitchen units, wood packaging and garden waste was dumped in Treeswoodhead Road.  We’re very grateful to the 13 people who cared enough to use our online reporting portal and our social media channels to report the incident. This led to us starting our investigation in July 2021. By November 2021, following evidence including witness statements and CCTV footage, and working in partnership with  Glasgow City Council,  SEPA and Police Scotland, we had accumulated enough evidence to report it to the Procurator Fiscal.

“The co-operation of the public was crucial in this case. We all have a part to play, not just in reporting these incidents, but also in making sure that when we need to dispose of waste we do so responsibly. Not everyone will be aware that as from January 2024 the Scottish Government Fixed Penalty notice for anyone caught Fly Tipping increased from £200 to £500.  And that can affect you if you book a “man with a van” who is not a registered waste carrier and your rubbish ends up dumped.

“We’d urge everyone to either book a slot at one of our recycling centres, or, if you’re paying someone else to take your waste away, check they are registered. If they are legitimate, they will provide you with a waste transfer note which confirms that they are transporting it to a proper facility and which gives their full company details. If your waste is dumped, and traced to you, you will be facing a £500 fine.

“And of course, if you come across fly tipped waste, please report it using our online service, including as much detail of the location and nature of the waste and photographs if you can. Together we can tackle the scourge of fly tipping which creates a blight on our environment and endangers wildlife and vegetation, farm animals and our communities alike.”