This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Extra funds to tackle flytipping
25/07/2003
A further £250,000 to help tackle flytipping was
announced today as part of a wider drive to curb
anti-social behaviour.
Visiting a site in Larkhall, which became a tip for
illegal dumping, Deputy Environment and Rural Development
Minister Allan Wilson said that flytipping was a 'social
blight on many communities in Scotland'. This illegal
practice will be targeted in the Executive's ambitious
Anti-Social Behaviour Bill, currently out to
consultation.
Mr Wilson said:
"Flytipping is unsightly, potentially dangerous and
harms our environment. Furthermore, it is against the
law.
"The Scottish Executive is determined to tackle all
forms of anti-social behaviour and this money will go some
way towards helping tackle what is becoming a bigger and
bigger social problem.
"Flytipping is a scar on our communities. The Executive
has already demonstrated its firm financial commitment to
improving awareness and making clear that flytipping will
not be tolerated. This must work hand in hand with
improvements to the enforcement of the regulations on
illegal dumping, on which we are now consulting."
A recent study by environmental watchdog ENCAMS
estimated that the overall cost to local authorities in
Scotland of flytipping amounts to over £2.5 million
annually.
Today's announcement follows the doubling of on the spot
fines for flytipping and littering from £25 to £50 earlier
this year.
In addition the Executive have pledged £90,000 to
establish the Scottish Flytipping Forum (SFF) - a
stakeholder group which considers all aspects of flytipping
and how best to tackle it.
The funds announced will help with the work of the SFF.
Potential uses include the production and distribution of
guidance on best practice to deal with flytipping,
providing support for educational materials and
anti-flytipping advertising campaigns. The money will also
focus on new working arrangements which may be agreed by
the SFF and an investigation of the extent, severity and
cost of flytipping problems.
The draft Anti-Social Behaviour Bill deals with abusive
and disruptive behaviour, vandalism and noise nuisance. The
consultation is also seeking views on how best to tackle
thoughtless, illegal disposal of waste. Views are being
sought on the levels of charges that would cover local
authority costs for removing, storing and disposing of
abandoned vehicles and on whether a simplified means of
penalising flytipping, similar to those existing for
litter, would be appropriate. The paper also asks generally
about the powers available to agencies charged with dealing
with litter and flytipping.
In Scotland, waste comes under controls that impose a
duty to local authorities to ensure that waste is disposed
of properly. Only holders of a waste management licence can
recover, transport, deposit or dispose of waste.
Membership of Scottish Flytipping Forum consists of key
stakeholders such as local authorities, the Scottish
Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Keep Scotland
Beautiful (KSB) and the National Farmers Union Scotland
(NFUS).
South Lanarkshire Council has developed a strategy on
flytipping and has entered into an agreement with SEPA and
Strathclyde Police to enforce their anti-flytipping
strategy.
An additional £929,000 also outlined today will be
allocated to SEPA which will allow it to improve regulation
and environmental information systems, as well as develop
its science base in some key areas.