A staggering six and a half tonnes of rubbish has been removed from a picturesque bridleway in West Lindsey.
Conservative-led West Lindsey District Council had received repeated calls to take action after land at Swallow on the A46 became a dumping ground for fly tippers.
Lesley Beevers, Regulatory Team Manager at the Council said:
“No sooner has one lot of rubbish been cleared that another load appears. In November, we cleared around four tons of waste from the same spot, costing more than £900.
“To help understand the issue, it took seven members of staff four hours, using three lorries to clear the site, which is estimated to cost the Council £1,500.”
Due to the changes in regulations the Council cannot simply take it to landfill sites. Items such as tyres, fridges mattresses etc, all have to be separated on site and the waste loaded by hand. The council's environmental protection officers went on site during the clear up to sift through the waste and gather evidence in a bid to locate the culprits.
Many items of paperwork included addresses in nearby Grimsby were uncovered. Initial investigations show that the majority of the waste is likely to be from various house clearances in the Grimsby area.
Conservative Chairman of the Prosperous Communities Committee, Cllr. Owen Bierley, warned residents to take care when disposing of rubbish. He said:
“It is important for residents and landlords alike to make sure that their waste is disposed of by properly registered companies. Simply paying cash to anyone with a van to take away your waste is not acceptable and could leave you facing a fine of up to £5,000 for not checking where your waste is going to.”
The Conservative-controlled council is working with colleagues at neighbouring North East Lincolnshire Council and the Police to identify those responsible. Cllr. Bierley added:
“We will do our utmost to bring the perpetrators of this series of fly tips to justice.”
If you are concerned about flytipping in your local community, you can contact West Lindsey District Council on 01427 676676 or report via www.west-lindsey.gov.uk.
