Trafford Council has launched a new campaign to come down hard on the borough’s fly-tippers who have been dumping rubbish during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Council is warning fly-tippers that they are being watched via a host of CCTV cameras and will face fines or court action if they are caught in the act.
Trafford’s Environmental Improvement Team and enforcement partners 3GS are back on the streets on the lookout for environmental criminals who are dumping rubbish in our streets and alleyways.
The Council, which has seen a huge increase in fly-tipping since lockdown began in March, will not hesitate to take action and is issuing £200 fixed penalty notices to fly-tippers and £80 fixed penalty notices to those who drop litter. Fly-tippers will also be prosecuted and taken to court where they may receive a fine of up to £50,000 and or imprisonment.
Cllr Stephen Adshead, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Air Quality, Environment and Climate Change, said:
“Trafford Council will never tolerate litter and fly-tipping and we will take action against anyone who is caught. With the help of our CCTV control room and staff from 3GS, we will be on the lookout for anyone who thinks it’s acceptable to dump rubbish.
We have seen an increase in fly-tipping during the lockdown and we will do everything in our power to reverse this trend. We already have a number of cases going through the courts and will continue to prosecute as long as this is an issue. Looking after the environment is a huge priority for this Council. We acknowledge the difficulties businesses faced managing their waste during lockdown but there simply is no excuse for fly-tipping.“
The Council has a number of ideas and initiatives to highlight the issue of fly-tipping going forward, including setting up a special working group to combat this blight on local communities as well as highlighting problem areas through social media platforms.
If you discover any dumped materials please call 03330 035865 to arrange removal. If you witness anyone fly-tipping or have any information that you think might help us track down a fly-tipper please contact us at EnvironmentalEnforcement@trafford.gov.uk
Posted on Friday 7th August 2020