Council taking steps to crack down on filthy fly-tippers

Following local media reports about the extent of the fly-tipping problem in the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon district, the local authority stressed that it is working alongside the Northern Ireland Environment Agency in a bid to crack down on those who dump their rubbish illegally.

Council figures for the Banbridge area reveal that between April 1, 2015 and December 31, 2017, there were 14 incidents of fly-tipping recorded in the Brookfield (6), Ballynanny (4), Edenderry (2) and Old Mill Lane (2) areas. There have also been other incidents of illegal dumping reported in other parts of the town and the surrounding countryside.

“It’s unacceptable that the borough continues to be blighted by unsightly scenes of illegally dumped waste that degrade the environment when there are disposal options available to those who engage in this type of anti-social behaviour. Local ratepayers should not have to pay for costly clean-up operations when large items of waste can be brought to recycling centres or collected by the council’s bulky waste service for a small fee,” a council spokesperson said.

“The council continues to work in partnership with the main enforcement body, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, to improve measures for increasing prosecutions through the use of CCTV in known problem areas, recording and reporting incidents through the sharing of information, taking enforcement action and making sure people understand their own responsibilities when disposing of waste.”

Appealing for the public’s assistance, the spokesperson added: “People who witness fly-tipping incidents are asked to pass on information to the council’s Environmental Health Department on 0300 0300 900. By providing information such as a vehicle description, registration number along with a location, date and time, an investigation can be carried out.

“Incidents of littering and fly-tipping can also be reported via the free ‘Bin-Ovation’ app, available to download from Google Play or Apple App Store. If you come across a fly-tipping issue, simply take a photo on your phone or tablet, log the GPS co-ordinates and via the app this information will be sent straight to the relevant council department for investigation.”