Fly Tipping in Yorkshire

>> Fly Tipping - Is it still a blot on our landscape?
By Paul Bolton

Fly-tipping - is it still a blot on our landscape?

In this day and age, we are all told to cut our carbon footprints and not to waste energy, our industry is told to cut its emissions and the government looks at new, environmentally friendly ways of powering the nation. All these measures are essentially there to help slow down the threat of global warming.

But an old problem still remains, and it’s getting worse. Due to lazy or even criminal actions, serious and fly tipping still blights our countryside, towns and cities – and the situation is five times worse than it was in the 1960’s.

According to Flycapture, a fly tipping database set up by DEFRA, The Environment Agency and The Local Government Agency, Yorkshire and the Humberside accounted for 163,480 of the 1.3 million fly tipping incidents in the UK in 2006-2007(discounting Liverpool County Council’s 1.3 million incidents).

Although these figures were down 25% in the region from last year, fly tipping was still expected to cost the region over £6.5 million and Yorkshire and the Humberside still accounts for the most recorded incidents of fly tipping behind the North West and London.

Fly tipping occurs generally because people want to avoid paying a disposal fee called the landfill tax. This charge generally comes into force when non household waste is removed or even having to pay to dispose of these types of waste in the local tip.

However, there is a more sinister element involved with fly tipping, as Ian Cowie, the Environment Agency’s Environmental Crime Team Leader for Yorkshire explains:

“We deal with the more serious ‘big, bad and nasty’ of organised crime etc, rather than a guy tipping a mattress onto wasteland as a one off. These incidents are within the local council’s remits, and the Flycapture database was set up to allow us to collate national data” he said.

The problem of fly tipping has been met with a tough response from the authorities, which has led to 194 of 195 successful prosecutions by Yorkshire and Humberside councils. The Flycapture database has been key to this, allowing local authorities to record incidents and helping them to improve intelligence on fly-tipping and focus resources on fly-tip hot spots.

Other measures like www.fixmystreet.com, which was set up by the Ministry of Justice, allow the public to report instances of fly tipping and other local problems by locating the instances on an interactive map. Education for small businesses is also on the increase by the Environment Agency.

But for the more sinister elements, a tougher approach is needed, as Ian Cowie explains:

“My team deals more with people who think they can make a bob or two out of buying a skip, getting paid for filling it up with people’s waste, and then dumping it in the countryside. Last year we prosecuted 53 people in various incidents of serious organised tipping”.

Local initiatives are also in force, for example, Sheffield City Council, whose area has the worst statistics for fly tipping in Yorkshire (108,000+ incidents), has set up sting operations in co operation with South Yorkshire Police to catch un-licensed waste collectors who account for a high percentage of fly tipping incidents.

Despite fly tipping still being a major issue in the country and our region, Ian Cowie believes that’s there’s more to it than meets the eye, and is hopeful for the future in Yorkshire, especially with the recent impressive drop in incidents in the region.

“I believe fly tipping and serious tipping are at the levels they are because of the economic background of the South, Western Yorkshire areas and the sheer weight of the population there.

“But it’s clear to see we’re improving the situation, you can see for yourself how much we’ve cleaned up some of the rivers for example. If we continue hitting our targets, we’ll continue to make our region a nicer place to live and work.”

>>Menstoners punished for helping the environment?
>> Fly Tipping In Yorkshire

By Paul Bolton
Image: iwouldntstay

Menstoners punished for helping the environment?

Residents of a West Yorkshire village denied from doing the right thing when it comes to the environment are continuing to effectively break the law to reduce their carbon footprint.

The Ellar Ghyll tip, which is situated on the outskirts of Menston in Bradford, but lies just inside the Leeds metropolitan district border, has been at the centre of a long running feud over waste disposal.

Leeds City Council, who runs the site, has been turning away non-Leeds residents since 2006, despite the tip being on the majority of Menston residents’ doorsteps and the site having being originally set up in the 1970’s specifically for residents of the village and neighbouring Burley-in-Wharfedale.

Now, if Bradford residents are caught using the site, rules dictate that is it classed as fly-tipping and they could face a £50,000 fine or up to 12 months in prison.

Mr Ashley France, who lived in Menston for six years, but now lives in nearby Baildon, was threatened with arrest in February after attempting to use the site for a family member from the village:

“I went down there and they asked me where I lived. I said I was moving stuff for my father in law who lives in Menston. They told me it was a Leeds tip and the guy said I would basically be arrested if I was planning to tip there. I was obviously angry, but I turned around, I didn’t want to get into any trouble,” he said.

However, he still believes that the rules are worth breaking and knows plenty of people who are:

“But everybody in Menston still goes to Ellar Ghyll."

“Obviously they can’t man the gate 24 hours a day, but even if they do, I know people who will drive past and check. If there isn’t, they’ll use the site. If there is staff there, they’ll go to Rawdon or Guiseley, even though they’re in Leeds. There’s ways around it.”

The nearest legal alternative for residents is of Menston is the recycling centre in Ilkley, a 12 mile round trip compared to the short run to Ellar Ghyll or the neighbouring Guiseley and Rawdon sites.

Mr France believes this is ridiculous:

“My main point with this whole thing is that it’s hypocritical of Leeds City Council. It’s hardly environmentally friendly having to go further to dump your rubbish, and it leaves much more of a carbon footprint. Plus it’s just inconvenient.”

Residents in neighbouring Otley, in Leeds, have been given permits by their council to try and combat Menston residents providing false details to staff to gain access to the tip.

Campaigns from various local councillors and residents to change Leeds City Council’s stance have so far yielded few results and, after two and half years of conflict, there are still no plans to allow Menston residents to officially use the tip.

>> Fly-tipping - is it still a blot on our landscape?

By Paul Bolton
Image: richardpluck