A special environmental task force tackling fly-tipping in Renfrewshire has been “going from strength to strength” – as more fines are handed out to illegal dumpers.
The bespoke team, which formed last year, has been conducting daily patrols as the council strives to tighten its grip on the problem and catch perpetrators in the act.
The group inspects evidence left in bags, searches for potential witnesses among nearby residents and businesses, and monitors CCTV camera footage as it tries to identify those response for unsightly piles of rubbish.
Nicola Drummond, lead officer for building communities, confirmed a total of 29 fixed penalty notices have been issued to culprits as part of the operation.
She told Tuesday’s communities and housing policy board: “The environmental task force is going from strength to strength.
“The team are doing very well, the fixed penalty notices are increasing, as is our work in communities – out speaking to housing associations and private landlords.
“We’ve had some good results.”
Two criminal investigations are under way, according to a report presented at the board, which are targeting “prolific fly-tippers”.
SNP depute council leader Jacqueline Cameron believes the project is “sending a message” that illegal dumping won’t be tolerated in the area.
“I just wanted to say how impressed I was with the work of the environmental task force,” she said.
“The ongoing work with landowners to educate and talk to them, as well as being tough with criminal investigations, I think is a good balance.
“I think beyond the fact that they’ve worked so hard and are reaping the results, it’s sending a message to other people out there that we’re not going to put up with fly-tipping in Renfrewshire.”
The task force works with other services and partners to as it addresses fly-tipping in the area, including liaising with housing associations, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Keep Scotland Beautiful and Zero Waste Scotland.
Councillor Iain McMillan, Labour group leader, saluted the group’s success but warned of the potential impact of the planned introduction of a £40 annual charge for the collection of garden waste on fly-tipping in Renfrewshire.
“I welcome this report,” he said. “There’s some really, really good stuff in here.
“It’s certainly good that we seem to be working with other housing associations in tackling this problem.
“I’m not entirely sure if it’s going to get worse.
“Obviously the budget agreed a £40 fee for garden waste and certainly the people I spoke to over the weekend... they said, ‘I’m not paying £40, I’m taking my garden rubbish and just dumping it’.
“I think we need to keep our eye on that.
“We have to be realistic and some people will just not want to pay that, so [we should] keep our eye on that one.”
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