Dumfriesshire MSP Oliver Mundell is calling on fed-up residents to support a proposed bill which would crackdown on fly-tipping.
It has become a “scourge” during Covid-19 with many complaints from the public angry at finding unwanted items from mattresses to furniture and rubbish dumped around the countryside.
Among the latest incidents highlighted on social media focussed on two armchairs left at the side of the road to Coatsgate Quarry near Moffat.
Mr Mundell wants householders to make their feelings known during a consultation period which began last week and could lead to a new law being passed at Holyrood.
The Member’s Bill in the Scottish Parliament aims to improve on current legislation from 1990 in relation to fly-tipping and is being backed by organisations including NFU Scotland and Scottish Land and Estates.
Mr Mundell said: “I would encourage everyone locally to get involved during the consultation process in the coming weeks and months and make their feelings known.”
Responses can be made online at www.parliament.scot/bills-and-laws/proposals-for-bills/proposed-fly-tipping-scotland-bill by May 23.”
Across the region fly-tipping offences in the countryside during the past two years have more than doubled with over 1,000 known cases.
Latest figures show that only 55 people were caught and given a £200-fixed penalty charge and eight cases referred to the procurator fiscal.
Serious offences can be prosecuted through the courts with fines of up to £40,000 and a prison sentence.
The council has said its officers investigate all instances of fly-tipping reported in a bid to issue a fixed-penalty notice but often have no witnesses to the dumping as a large number take place in remote locations.
Waste and cleansing teams still have to collect and dispose of the abandoned items appropriately with the vast majority being white goods, mattresses, disused oil drums, old tyres, building rubble or garden waste.
Mr Mundell said: “I am pleased to be backing these plans to crack down on fly-tipping since, all too often, fly-tipping is a scourge on our beautiful landscape and communities in Dumfriesshire.
“It is completely selfish and unacceptable to dump waste at unauthorised locations. It is the public, landowners and our local authorities in Dumfriesshire who are left to pick up the mess.”
He added: “This new bill is essential for strengthening current laws against fly-tipping which stretch back decades.
“It seeks to increase sanctions for fly-tipping, including by lifting the current fixed-penalty notice of £200, improve data collection of incidents and to guarantee the person on whose land waste is disposed on is not responsible for its removal.
“It also proposing a strict liability, which would mean the generator of the waste would be responsible for clearing it up and paying any fines.
• Anyone can report fly-tipping at www.dumgal.gov.uk, by emailing communitysafetyteam@dumgal.gov.uk or calling 030 33 33 3000.
