Tag: fly tipping

Tell our charity who is illegally dumping waste in your area

During Scotland’s Recycling Week, charity Crimestoppers and Network Rail Scotland uncover the hidden crimes and harms underneath waste dumping

The charity Crimestoppers Scotland has today launched a new campaign in partnership with Network Rail Scotland to highlight the impact criminal gangs are causing by dumping large-scale waste in communities.

According to figures published by Zero Waste Scotland, there are over 60,000 incidents of fly tipping reported each year in Scotland, costing over £8.9 million of public money to clear up. 

Waste crime takes many different forms, including large-scale dumping, illegal waste sites, illegal burning of waste, mis-description of waste to avoid fees and landfill taxes, and illegal export of waste. It’s usually carried out by gangs and individuals who operate bogus waste services, accepting payment for disposal without having the necessary permits for transportation or storage.

Their ’waste disposal business’ can be used as a cover for other serious illegal activities, such as money laundering and modern-day slavery.

Criminals attack rural environments in a variety of ways, from significant scale illegal dumping to heritage crime. It has a detrimental impact on surrounding wildlife, livestock and communities.

Some examples of waste dumping in Scotland include:

  • Large scale hazardous waste posing risks to staff and the public was dumped adjacent to Glasgow’s Queen Street Railway line, causing disruption and costing thousands to clear up.
  • Household items such as fridges, washing machines, baths and toilets, as well as doors, windows, furniture, building rubble and bin bags, were strewn across ground beneath the M8 in the Blochairn area of Glasgow
  • In Port Glasgow, Renfrewshire, a derelict farm was filled with an estimated 10,000 tyres. One barn at the site in Devol that is overflowing with tyres lies within a few metres of a housing estate. Tyres are classified as hazardous waste because of the polluting emissions they give off and their potential to catch fire.

Angela Parker, National Manager for charity Crimestoppers, said: “For this campaign with Network Rail Scotland, we spoke to communities affected by large scale waste dumping.

“Many people said looking at waste piles of rubbish made them feel unsafe and impacted their mental health. They were also unaware of the serious crimes waste crime dumping covers up.

“Scotland is classed as 97% rural, with rural communities in particular relying on it for business, farming and tourism.

“Waste dumping covers hidden crimes and has hidden consequences for communities, including negative effects on property values, increased crime rates and mental health issues in areas where waste dumping is prevalent.

“Often the criminals behind it are hard to identify as they typically pose as legitimate businesses. Illegally dumping waste is a lucrative business for criminal organisations, and warehouses or derelict sites are a prime target to mask this activity.

“Serious and organised waste crime is on the rise, and often on an industrial scale. We want communities and the waste industry to speak up 100% anonymously to our charity if they know or suspect who is dumping large scale waste in Scotland.”

Our web page at Environmental crime | Crimestoppers shares everything you need to know about how to report waste crime

Tell us what you know,  by calling 0800 555 111 or using our online form. You’ll stay 100% anonymous. Always.

Neil Cook, Route Crime Manager for Network Rail Scotland, said: “Fly-tipping is always an eyesore and a hazard, but it’s especially concerning when it happens near a railway.

“Dumped rubbish can fuel lineside fires, act as climbing aids for those trying to breach secure boundaries and often attract children and youths to play in dangerous areas – putting themselves, passengers, and rail staff at serious risk.

“That’s why we’re working closely with partners to prevent fly-tipping and catch those responsible. By tackling this issue together, we’re helping to protect our communities and ensure the railway remains safe and reliable for everyone.”

Some of the signs to look out for:

  • Large scale dumping of waste (such as a tipper truck dumping over 20 tonnes of waste).
  • Illegal waste sites.
  • Misdescription of waste, to avoid fees and landfill taxes.
  • Illegal export of waste.
  • Serious and intentional waste permit breaches.
  • Illegal burning of waste.

To pass on information about Illegal large scale waste dumping completely anonymously, visit the Crimestoppers website (Crimestoppers-uk.org).

You can fill in a safe and secure form or you can call the 24/7 UK-based Contact Centre on 0800 555 111. Young people can also report crime via the charity’s youth service website Fearless.org.

Please note: With Crimestoppers-uk.org and Fearless.org, computer IP addresses are never traced and no-one will ever know you contacted them.

For telephone calls to Crimestoppers via 0800 555 111, there is no caller line display, no 1471 facility and calls have never been traced.

Disrupting Digital Dumpers

SEPA tackles online waste criminals with new digital pilot

As the number of adverts on digital platforms promoting illegal waste collection services hits an all-time high, Scotland’s environmental regulator is tackling environmental criminality in the online world.

The digital regulation pilot led by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has already identified that between 50 to 60% of businesses advertising on social media could be breaking the law by operating without holding the required waste carrier licence – and people handing over their waste may be contributing to flytipping and other waste crime.

Working closely with partner agencies, SEPA’s pilot work is already seeing results. So far seven social media profiles and all their associated posts have been removed from online platforms, protecting householders from inadvertently giving their waste and their money to criminals. SEPA Officers are also pursuing several lines of enquiry for follow up investigation as a result of identifying unlicensed operators on social media. 

The work, supported by additional funding from the Scottish Government, is being undertaken as part of the National Litter and Flytipping Strategy which sets out a refreshed approach to tackling litter and flytipping in Scotland.

Don’t give waste criminals a chance

Social media users will be familiar with adverts offering junk removal, waste clearances, man with a van and tip collection services. They may look professional and legitimate, but SEPA’s investigations have confirmed this is not always the case. 

Corrupt operators advertising their services online may dispose of the waste they collect through flytipping and burning, blighting Scotland’s environment. This activity can quickly escalate into more serious and significant waste crime impacting compliant businesses in the waste sector. 

There are several telltale signs that the business you are thinking of hiring may not be legitimate. The public should look out for online adverts that:

  • Offer cheap or same day waste collection – if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. Make sure you’re not pressured to decide.
  • Claim to be “SEPA insured” – SEPA do not provide insurance.
  • Claiming “waste is all recycled where it can be” – where are they taking the waste?
  • Don’t provide any way to contact them other than Direct Messaging.  

You can play your part by not falling foul of digital scammers – when choosing a service provider – always ask for their waste carrier number and check they are registered with SEPA, confirm where they will take your waste and pay a fair price for the service. You can also contact SEPA to check a Waste Carrier Licence number you have been given if you cannot find it online. 

If they are reluctant to give you information or you are in any in doubt, do not give them your waste. If you suspect they may be operating illegally, report it to SEPA online.

Jennifer Shearer, Head of Enforcement at SEPA, said: “Since the pandemic, we have seen a growing trend of waste collection and junk removal adverts moving online to social media platforms.

“These businesses can look very professional and legitimate, with engaging adverts and reviews of great services – but what we are finding is they are often illegal. Capitalising on householders looking for a quick, same-day service, these rogue traders are operating unlawfully, without the correct licences, and are often illegally disposing of the waste in Scotland’s environment. 

“Through our new pilot, we are finding new ways to detect, disrupt and remove illegal operators advertising on social media and taking further enforcement action when necessary. We are also highlighting to householders what they can do to protect themselves and the environment from the impacts of these illegal operators.”

Lorna Slater, Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity said: “Increased action to detect and disrupt flytippers – including unregistered waste carriers advertising online – is a key element of our National Litter and Flytipping Strategy.

“The Scottish Government is determined to tackle waste crime and the scourge of flytipping, so I am very pleased to see our funding is already delivering results through initiatives like this.

“I look forward to seeing further progress which will make an important contribution to keeping our streets, communities and countryside beautiful and protecting our environment and wildlife.”

In the coming months, SEPA will continue to identify profiles used to advertise online waste collection services and investigate if they are operating legally, allowing a better understanding of the scale of the problem as well as enabling appropriate regulatory and enforcement action to disrupt criminal activity. 

Significant waste crime sites targeted by SEPA as BBC Disclosure focuses on serious and organised crime

Scottish Environment Protection Agency staff and their work tackling waste crime will be featured as part of investigative journalism programme BBC Disclosure tonight (Monday 31 January) at 7pm.

The programme titled ‘Dirty Business’ will delve into criminal waste activities – ranging from ‘man with a van’ flytipping and waste being burnt in a drum to large scale illegal activities with links to serious organised crime such as abandoned lorry trailers bursting with up to 41 tonnes of waste and illegal landfills.

The documentary sees BBC presenter Sam Poling shadowing staff on complex investigations including a site visit to an unidentified location, where a criminal gang has buried large amounts of waste underground resulting in environmental impact from the release of harmful gases and liquids as the illegal deposit degrades.

Sam also accompanies SEPA staff to a non-compliant site and on a site visit to a legitimate waste operator to see how businesses should be operating to stay within the law and discovers how criminals undercutting these types of businesses can impact on the industry.

Waste crime has a serious and detrimental impact on the environment, communities and compliant businesses, costing Scottish taxpayers tens of millions a year in clean-up costs, avoided tax and lost revenue.

Dedicated enforcement

As part of its ongoing commitment to tackle environmental crime and as an environment protection agency ready to tackle the challenges of the 21st Century, SEPA launched a dedicated intelligence and enforcement function in October 2019 to deal with those types of growing activities.

SEPA’S investigative waste enforcement work includes the monitoring of over 234 active cases including 31 high priority sites, some linked to serious and organised crime activities.

We work closely with partners such as Police Scotland, the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, Serious Organised Crime Task Force and cross border agencies to share information and work together to use powers that partners have to tackle this behaviour, using the latest technologies to help ensure we detect criminal activity and have the most accurate picture possible.

Working together in this way means that we can make it harder for criminals to get a foot in legitimate waste businesses, and where these sites have appeared it will become easier to require those responsible to clean them up.

Waste crime stifles legitimate businesses’ opportunities to innovate and improve our environment and there is a need to continue attracting the right businesses to Scotland that will contribute to our economic growth while protecting and enhancing our environment.

Members of the public and businesses must start thinking of ways to do things differently to limit opportunities for criminals to operate and gain a greater awareness of what happens to their waste.

SEPA works with businesses to help them achieve compliance and understand their obligations and Digital Waste Tracking is one of the innovations which could help make compliance easier and help individuals and businesses to track what happens to their waste.

Jennifer Shearer, Head of Enforcement at SEPA, said: “We are warning criminals – your activities are firmly in the spotlight and compliance with Scotland’s environmental laws is non-negotiable. Our dedicated enforcement unit is focussing our efforts on tackling the most serious non-compliance and illegal activity.

“Waste crime is best tackled on a preventative level and this involves a ‘Team Scotland’ partner led approach. By taking part in this programme we aim to highlight the extensive work that SEPA does and make everyone aware of duties they have in assisting in the disruption of these types of activity.

“For us deterring waste crime will take more than issuing fines and taking prosecutions where possible. It requires Scotland to realise the potential in developing vacant and derelict land for better use, engage in multi-agency partnerships and nurture urban and rural communities.

“In Scotland, businesses committed to doing the right thing by our environment will find a regulator that supports innovation and excellence. For those who do the wrong thing they’ll find a regulator that won’t hesitate to act. It is vital that businesses and individuals realise their duty of care, as the best way to stop waste criminals is to cut off their routes to make money.

“Criminals are resourceful, inventive and will find new ways to break the law – especially when money is involved, but Scotland’s enforcement agencies are working together to make sure we find them and stop them.”

Cabinet Secretary for Justice Keith Brown said: “The Scottish Government and partners on the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce are fully committed to disrupting those who see waste disposal as a money-making enterprise that sits alongside other crime types such as violence, drugs, weapons and money laundering.

“These criminals will do anything to increase their wealth through undermining legitimate waste businesses and tricking unsuspecting customers. Partners on the taskforce will use every means at their disposal to ensure these illegal practices stop and that those who dump waste illegally are held accountable.”

Phil Davies, Joint Unit for Waste Crime Manager, said: “The Joint Unit for Waste Crime works to disrupt serious and organised waste crime to reduce the impact on the economy, the environment and local communities.

“Our strength lies in bringing together agencies from across the UK, including the Environment Agency; Natural Resources Wales; the Scottish Environment Protection Agency; the Northern Ireland EA; the police; HMRC; the National Fire Chiefs Council; the British Transport Police and the National Crime Agency.

“Working together as the Joint Unit, we share intelligence and enforcement to more quickly identify, disrupt and deter criminals and make them pay for the damage they inflict on communities and the environment.”

Executive Director of the Environmental Services Association, Jacob Hayler, said: “Waste crime threatens the natural environment, costs the public purse millions of pounds a year and severely undermines investment in responsible, legitimate, recycling and waste treatment operations.

“The Environmental Services Association is highly supportive of robust enforcement action, greater deterrents and tougher penalties on these criminals, who unfortunately all too often view our sector as a soft target.”

Allan MacGregor a member of the Resource Management Association Scotland (RMAS) Management Committee and Chief Executive of the Binn Group, said: “Unscrupulous operators undermine legitimate businesses, stifle investment, and create an uneven playing field.

“We therefore fully support any efforts to crack down on illegal waste dumping activities and stop waste criminals from operating within our industry.”

How you can help

Everyone can help tackle waste crime by refusing to engage waste service providers who are not licenced by, or registered with SEPA, and by checking that the person offering to pick up their waste is a registered waste carrier. You should ask for evidence of this and then ask where they will dispose of the waste and ensure this is a legitimate licensed site. Failing to make these checks is illegal.

Services that sound too good to be true often are – and could lead to waste being illegally fly-tipped or disposed of by other illegitimate means. For criminals carrying out these activities, illegal waste disposal and fly tipping is a serious offence with significant consequences and those caught risk a criminal conviction and a fine and/or imprisonment. SEPA can also issue Variable Monetary Penalties of up to £40,000 as an enforcement tool.

Everyone can assist by being vigilant and reporting any suspicious activity such as:

  • Trailers left by the roadside or in isolated areas
  • Increased activity at previously unused sites
  • Movements of vehicles late at night or very early in the morning
  • Unusual odours or increased fly activity
  • SEPA also advises that landowners must be alert to the risk of their land or premises being used for illegal waste deposits and trailer or vehicle owners should also be aware of the risk of theft for use in illegal waste disposal activities.

Members of the public can report suspicious sites and behaviours to SEPA 24 hours a day, seven days a week through our pollution hotline online, sepa.org.uk/report, or call 0800 80 70 60. 

Lothian MSP supports Bill to tackle Fly Tipping

Lothian MSP Miles Briggs is supporting Scottish Conservative colleague Murdo Fraser MSPs plans to introduce a Members’ Bill to tackle fly-tipping.

Mr Briggs has highlighted the increase in fly tipping across Edinburgh and the Lothians over the last five years.

Incidents of fly tipping have become worse in Edinburgh and West Lothian in particular, with the number of fly tipping incidents in Edinburgh increasing from 7,439 in 2016 to 10,358 in 2020. In West Lothian the number of fly tipping incidents rose to from 1,404 in 2016 to 2,367 in 2020.

So far this year Edinburgh has had 7,599 incidents of fly tipping and West Lothian has had 1,795 incidents. [Figures from SPICe, see below]

Work has begun with the Scottish Parliament Non-Government Bills Unit on the new law, which would crack down on those caught fly-tipping by increasing fines and making offenders liable.

Scottish Land and Estates (SLE) have welcomed the intention to introduce a Bill to tackle the “scourge of fly-tipping”.

NFU Scotland also called for action on fly-tipping, branding it a “permanent scar on our natural environment”.

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “The level of fly-tipping in Edinburgh and the Lothians has got out of control, with the number of incidents on the rise, especially in Edinburgh and West Lothian.

“It is clear that something needs to be done and the low number of penalties for fly tipping shows that the current sanctions are not working.

“I fully support my colleague Murdo Fraser’s bill to crack down on fly-tipping and change the liability of cleaning up fly-tipping, to those who have committed the crime, rather than the landowner.

“SNP Ministers have let fly-tipping in Scotland get out of control, so the Scottish Conservatives are introducing legislation to make a positive difference and crack down on fly-tipping.”

This data was provided by Zero Waste Scotland on behalf of the Local Authorities.

Table 1: The number of annual flytipping incidents in City of Edinburgh, West Lothian, East Lothian and Midlothian council, 2016 to 31 July 2021

YearCity of EdinburghWest LothianEast LothianMidlothian
20167,4391,404779505
20175,7011,590654651
20188,1451,999500502
20199,3222,089487*352
202010,3582,367415558
2021 (to 31 July)75991795275293

*Note: In 2019, there were 2 months with limited data available in Midlothian.

SEPA warns business and public to be on alert as new waste trailer crime emerges in Scotland

  • SEPA is leading Scotland’s efforts to tackle new waste crime trend as seven lorries of waste found in North Lanarkshire in recent months
  • Research estimates £53 million is taken from the public purse every year in Scotland removing illegal waste
  • Scotland’s enforcement agencies are working together, alongside UK counterparts, to find and stop illegal activity
  • SEPA is warning waste criminals that compliance with Scotland’s environmental laws is non-negotiable and those caught risk a criminal conviction and a fine of up to £40,000 and/or imprisonment
  • Everyone is asked to remain vigilant and report suspicious vehicles and activity so action can be taken swiftly
  • Now more than ever, everyone needs to play their part in correctly managing Scotland’s waste and help stop waste crime
  • Public are warned – do not give your waste to potential criminals. Take steps to protect yourself, your community and the environment

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is warning that a new trend appears to be establishing in Scotland as a total of seven abandoned trailers full of waste have been discovered in the central belt in recent months. Investigations to establish the source of the trailers are ongoing – which could lead to the prosecution of those responsible.

Similar instances of waste being placed into trailers and being abandoned at roadsides and industrial locations had been seen in England over recent months. Working alongside partners through the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce and the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, SEPA had been tracking this growing trend across the UK since last year, but seven trailers in eight months indicates this may now be a new disposal route for waste criminals in Scotland.

Jennifer Shearer, SEPA Head of Enforcement, said: “This type of crime has a real impact on local communities, legitimate business and the public agencies who are working to tackle it.

“A high proportion of individuals or companies that are involved in waste crime are also associated with other criminality and sadly this activity has continued during the pandemic.

“Waste crime can cause serious pollution. It puts communities at risk and places further stress on legitimate operators. It also impacts investment and economic growth – serious and organised waste crime is estimated to cost the UK economy at least £600 million a year.*

“We know that criminals are inventive and will find new ways to break the law and make money – but Scotland’s enforcement agencies are inventive too and we are working together, alongside others across the UK, to make sure we find them and we stop them.

“We will continue to work closely with partners, often through joint initiatives such as the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, to ensure we can maximise our collaborative efforts to have the greatest impact, and ultimately stop this type of highly adaptive and lucrative waste crime.”

Clearing up after criminals

The distinctive form of illegal waste disposal saves criminals thousands of pounds in waste disposal costs, but the costs to others may be high. Money often ends up coming out of the public purse – according to 2013 Zero Waste Scotland research at least £53 million of public money is spent cleaning up litter and fly-tipping every year. That is money that could be spent on other public services.

Robert Steenson, DETER Strand Lead with Scotland’s Serious Organised Crime Taskforce and Executive Director of North Lanarkshire Council said: “This type of illegal dumping not only costs the taxpayers’ huge sums of money to clear up, but poses a serious hazard to the environment and our communities.

“These poorly maintained trailers are also being driven on public roads before being dumped and therefore create a dangerous risk to other road users.

“Those responsible have absolutely no respect for people living in the areas these trailers are being dumped and I would urge anyone with any information to contact SEPA or Police Scotland immediately. This type of waste crime has unfortunately became more widespread across the country and is often linked to organised crime groups who use it as a means to make money to fund their other criminal activities. It undermines legitimate disposal businesses and poses a very serious risk to public safety.

“We are working with our partners to safely clear this dumped waste and we will use all the powers at our disposal to identify those responsible.”

Vehicle or landowners may also end up incurring the cost of having waste removed and disposed of legally, which can be considerable.

Tackling waste criminals

SEPA has developed a more targeted approach to tackling environmental crime that directly impacts local communities and the environment. In recent weeks we have been able to confirm that 25 illegal sites or activities have ceased since the turn of the year, with partnership working across agencies being a key success factor.

Keith Brown, Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans and Chair of the SOC Taskforce said: “Those involved in fly tipping and other waste crimes will exploit any opportunity to maximise their wealth at the expense of everyone else.

“This is not a victimless crime and causes significant problems to the public, legitimate businesses and the landowners where the waste is abandoned.

“Partners on the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce will use every means at their disposal to disrupt this crime, but we need the help of the public.

“Everyone needs to ensure their waste is properly and legally disposed of and we are also urging members of the public who see evidence of these crimes to report it. If you see something say something.”

Help stop waste criminals operating

Investigations into the source of the trailers and waste are ongoing and SEPA is urging anyone who recognises the vehicles, or the waste within them, to get in touch.

Communities are asked to be vigilant and report any suspicious trailers left by the roadside or in isolated areas as soon as possible. If alerted to it early SEPA has a better opportunity to step in and take action, along with partners like Police Scotland and local authorities. The longer it takes to identify trailers the more chance there is agencies will lose access to essential evidence to help track the perpetrators.

Anyone who may have any information about these lorry trailers, no matter how significant it may seem, is encouraged to get in touch with SEPA as soon as possible. Similarly, if they see any suspicious trailers left by the roadside or in isolated areas they should report it to SEPA’s 24 hour pollution line using the online form at sepa.org.uk/report or by calling 0800 80 70 60.

Landowners are also reminded to be alert to the risk of their land or premises being used for illegal waste deposits. Trailer or vehicle owners should be aware of the risk of theft.

SEPA is also warning the criminals involved that their activities are firmly in the spotlight and compliance with Scotland’s environmental laws is non-negotiable. Illegal waste disposal and fly tipping is a serious offence with significant consequences and those caught risk a criminal conviction and a fine of up to £40,000 and/or imprisonment.

The distinctive form of illegal waste disposal saves criminals thousands of pounds in waste disposal costs, but the costs to others may be high. Vehicle or landowners are likely to incur the costs of having waste removed and disposed of legally, which can be considerable.

Do not give your waste to potential criminals

As well as reporting suspicious activity, members of the public can help tackle waste crime by refusing to engage the services of people who are not authorised.

Jennifer Shearer explained: “Now more than ever, we all need to play our part in correctly managing our waste. You have the responsibility to take care of your waste and if we trace it back to you, we can take enforcement action against you too.

“We don’t want people to be put in that situation so make sure that anyone who takes your waste for disposal is properly accredited. Take steps to protect yourself, your community and the environment.

“Remember, disposing of waste legally costs money. Services that sound too good to be true often are and could lead to your waste being illegally fly-tipped or disposed of by other illegitimate means.

“Anyone offering to take your waste away should be able to provide a SEPA waste carrier registration number and give you the name of the facility they will take the waste to – if they can’t provide this information, do not allow them to take your waste.”

SEPA cracks down on illegal dumpers advertising on social media

  • SEPA enforcement team targets criminals and chancers using social media to sell illegal waste services
  • Regulator reminds waste companies that compliance with the law is non-negotiable
  • Illegal operators contributing to fly-tipping and other illegal waste activity
  • Public are reminded – don’t engage the services of people who are not authorised

Chancers advertising illegal waste collections on social media sites are being targeted by Scotland’s environmental regulator in a new digital clampdown.

Household recycling centres are now open but many have restrictions in place – and people may still have bulky items and excess waste that cannot be transported. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is warning those trying to make a quick buck from the current situation by operating illegally that they are firmly in the spotlight, and that direct warnings would be sent to those not registered with SEPA placing adverts – with fines of up to £5,000 for non-compliance.

SEPA’s specialist enforcement team has been working alongside partners Police Scotland, Zero Waste Scotland and local authorities throughout the lockdown period to tackle waste crime across Scotland.

These specialist officers are monitoring sites like Facebook and Gumtree to catch waste criminals as part of a wider effort to deter illegal activity across the waste management chain. SEPA is very clear that those who deliberately flout the rules will face the uncompromising regulator their behaviour deserves.

Jennifer Shearer, Head of Enforcement at the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, said: “We know that illegal activity places further stress on legitimate operators – especially where services are being pushed through social media and other channels.

“Through our monitoring of social media we’ve unfortunately seen a number of instances of couriers and so-called white van men taking the opportunity to offer an unauthorised waste collection service and then often dumping in public spaces or remote parts of countryside – creating an unsafe environmental hazard and an eyesore for the local community.

“Having witnessed an increase in adverts of this kind in recent months, our digital disruption is designed to take those operating illegally, out of the market.”

Where enforcement officers identify that adverts and messages are being distributed by carriers not registered with SEPA, they will make contact to warn them that they are operating illegally. If they do not apply for a registration or stop activities, SEPA will take enforcement action which could see them subjected to fines or criminal prosecution.

There is also an important role for the public, with a warning that the use of unlicensed waste collectors could result in waste contributing to fly-tipping and other illegal activity.

“Don’t engage the services of people who are not authorised,” Shearer explains. “Remember, services that sound too good to be true often are, and could lead to your waste being illegally fly-tipped or disposed of by other illegitimate means.

“Anyone offering to take your waste away should be able to provide a waste carrier registration number and tell you the named facility they will take the waste to – if they can’t provide this information, don’t allow them to take your waste.  

“Now more than ever, Scots are recognising the importance of local services like recycling and the part we all play in correctly managing our waste. You have the responsibility to take care of your waste and if we trace it back to you we can take enforcement action against you too. We don’t want people to be put in that situation so make sure that anyone who takes your waste for disposal is properly accredited.”

Roseanna Cunningham, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, added: “We owe a massive thank you to all those in the waste industry who are working hard to keep services running in challenging circumstances. Illegal activities such as flytipping adds to the burden of those who continue to deliver essential services.

“SEPA has a vital role in regulating and monitoring waste carrier services and I welcome the proactive approach they are taking to target unregistered waste businesses. It is vital that individuals take responsibility for checking that the waste carrier they use is registered and will dispose of waste correctly.”

Visiting the new website – managingourwaste.scot – from SEPA, Zero Waste Scotland and partners, you will find updates and advice on how to manage waste.  As part of Scotland’s campaign to help manage waste during current restrictions the site also explains how you can help to tackle fly-tipping. SEPA is also offering support to help those managing our waste operate against the challenges of coronavirus.  

Top 3 Do’s and Don’ts of Household Waste Disposal

  1. DO use common sense. If you are approached out of the blue with an offer to dispose of your waste so quickly and cheaply is sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
  2. DON’T entrust your waste with someone if they are unable to tell you basic information like their waste carrier registration number and the named site they are taking the waste to.
  3. DO take responsibility for who you give waste to – if we trace illegally disposed of waste back to you then you could be liable for enforcement action too.

Praise for Drylaw’s ‘urban art installation’

A controversial community art ‘installation’ has been praised by arts organisation Creative Scotland. Drylaw’s ‘Love My Docs‘, which is situated behind The Ferry Boat in Drylaw Shopping Centre, has been recognised as an iconic image of the coronavirus era.

Creative Scotland’s Ruaridh Afton-Waters said: “The Drylaw artwork is an important piece of modern sculpture, symbolising  a working class community’s fight against this all-powerful invisible enemy that is Coronavirus.

“What makes this piece so special is that it encourages local people to add their own pieces of art – and hundreds of community artists have stepped forward to embrace the challenge. Their imaginative contributions have built into an incredibly important statemement of empowerment.

“They are saying: ‘you won’t defeat us, coronavirus.  You can shut our museums and art galleries, you can even shut our Ferry Boat – but you’ll never destroy our spirit of creativity.’

“It is brutal, it is primitive, but most of all ‘Love My Docs’ is truly,  deeply moving.”

Moving, indeed – and some Drylaw residents are hoping the artwork will be moving on sometime soon!

MSP calls for community support to clamp down on ‘dumb dumpers’

Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, has called on the support of the local community to crackdown on illegal fly tipping in the area during lockdown. 

Councils across Scotland have temporarily closed waste and recycling centres to help them prioritise the collection of general refuse and protect public health during the coronavirus outbreak – a course of action described as ‘necessary’ by Zero Waste Scotland. 

However, while those maintaining essential waste services in Scotland work hard in difficult circumstances,  reports of fly tipping across the country have increased. This has led to calls for local residents to keep a watchful eye out in Edinburgh and report anyone dumping rubbish illegally to the ‘Dumb Dumpers’ website online.

 Responsibility for recycling centres lies with councils but the Scottish Government is working closely with COSLA and its partners in local authorities on the prioritisation of waste services and on what further guidance and practical steps may be required on recycling centres. 

The MSP has also echoed calls from Zero Waste Scotland and SEPA for the public to act responsibly with their waste until recycling centres re-open – stressing that now is not the time for large-scale clear-outs. 

Gordon MacDonald MSP, said: “This is a difficult time for all of us, but we owe a huge thank you to those in the waste industry who are working to keep as many services running as possible. 

“The safety of these workers and the general public has to be the priority, and councils also need to consider staffing shortages and physical distancing before our local recycling centres can re-open. 

“While these workers do their best for us, it’s important that we continue to do what we can to help them by pitching in to crack down on illegal fly tippers across Edinburgh. 

“Now more than ever, we also have to responsibility for managing our waste during this period – that means keeping larger items at home until the centres re-open.”

Iain Gulland, chief executive of Zero Waste Scotland, said: “Refuse collectors are working in exceptional conditions to maintain as many essential services as they can. Now is a good time to avoid wasting so much as this is ultimately the best way to help councils cope. 

“Zero Waste Scotland is working with key partners to communicate changes to householders and businesses in Scotland in the meantime. We’d encourage everyone to visit the campaign website to find out how they can best manage their waste.”

Lothian Conservative MSP Miles Briggs has called for local recycling facilities to be reopened as soon as possible. He said: “It’s clear households across Scotland have significant amounts of waste and recycling built up over the lockdown.

“After seven weeks of closed local dumps and greater levels of household waste, we are now seeing a perfect storm which is driving a fly-tipping surge.

“This week the UK Government outlined how recycling centres in England can reopen with social distancing measures in place.

“It is clear that we need to see progress to safely lift the restrictions on recycling centres in Scotland and for SNP Ministers to outline how this can be achieved as soon as is safely possible.”

Registration for controversial new brown bin service opens on Monday

Registration for garden waste collections will open next week ahead of the introduction of a controversial new service in October. From Monday (18th June), Edinburgh residents must sign up on the Council website or at one of five local offices.if they wish to continue receiving brown bin collections. The annual brown bin collection service will cost residents £25.

Continue reading Registration for controversial new brown bin service opens on Monday