Piles of rubbish, a used mattress and broken down couch were all dumped in Sefton communities in 2022.
People living in areas across the borough have previously complained of mounds of rubbish dumped at local beauty spots. Earlier this year, a "disgusting" fly-tipping incident was so bad it looked like someone "had dumped their whole house" in a cemetery - right between two graves.
Items including couches, prams, mattresses, family photographs, and even a Christmas card were found abandoned at Ford Cemetery in Bootle. The pile was discovered by James Day during his weekly visit to his brother's grave.
READ MORE: Man dies after house fire killed his fiancee
Speaking to the ECHO he said: "It looked liked someone had dumped their whole house right in the middle of the cemetery along the pathway, right in between two graves. When you are visiting a grave on Sunday morning it is not something that you want to find, seeing it anywhere is disgusting but in a cemetery is just beyond belief."
Sefton Council said illegally dumped rubbish can become a serious health and safety problem if not tackled quickly. They added there would be "hefty fines and repercussions" for those that dump waste in the community.
Those caught, face a fine starting at £400 issued by enforcement officers with a maximum fine of £50,000 plus 12-months in prison. But how many people were fined in the borough?
According to FOI data obtained by the ECHO, in 2021 alone, there were 4,323 incidents of fly-tipping reported to the council. This was compared to 3,026 in 2022 from January to October 31.
For 2021, a total of three fines were issued as a result of fly-tipping and four in 2022 from January - October. This is compared to 13 fines back in 2020. For the years 2021 - 2022, the council confirmed there was one successful prosecution for fly-tipping.
We also asked what the annual cost to the council was for the removal of any fly-tipped waste, which was estimated to be around £344,276 for 2021 alone.
We visited some problem areas in Sefton, including Bootle cemetery, Foul Lane and New Causeway. Immediately spotting a dumped couch and mattress amongst mounds of bags of rubbish and litter thrown, some areas were worse than others.
On a small section of New Causeway in Formby, there were over 20 carrier bags of rubbish, just yards away from a used mattress and broken armchair. Over in Southport, although no immediate fly-tipping was found, litter was thrown on the floor despite having rubbish bins nearby.
A spokesperson for Sefton Council said: "Illegally dumped rubbish can become a serious health and safety problem if not tackled quickly. Dealing with it costs the Council a six-figure sum each year, which is funding that could otherwise be spent on services benefiting local people and communities.
"We remind people that fly tipping is a serious criminal offence and those offending could see hefty fines and repercussions, starting with a fine of £400 issued by Enforcement Officers and a maximum fine of £50,000 or twelve months’ imprisonment if convicted in a Magistrates Court. The offence can also attract an unlimited fine and up to five years imprisonment if convicted in a Crown Court."
According to the FOI data, we asked Sefton council of the top 10 areas/street names where fly-tipping occurred the most for the year 2022, of which they replied with the following wards:
- Linacre
- Derby
- Litherland
- Church
- Dukes
- St Oswald
- Netherton & Orrell
- Cambridge
- Ford
- Norwood
A council spokesperson added: "We would also recommend people check who they are hiring to dispose of their waste as they may be liable for a fine or face prosecution if their waste is fly-tipped. All reputable and licensed firms will be able to provide evidence of their Environment Agency permissions.
"People are urged to dispose of their waste legally making Sefton a cleaner and greener place to live, work and visit. We strongly encourage residents to report any fly tipping they see to Sefton Council via our website or by contacting 0345 140 0845"
READ NEXT:
Worst street for antisocial behaviour in Merseyside
Toddler dies day after being sent home from A&E
'I was told I'd be dead in 12 months if I didn't lose weight'
Developers promise 'huge year' for multi-billion Liverpool Waters
Chilling warning days before Elle Edwards gunned down in Christmas atrocity
