Melton bin lorries used to send message about fly-tipping

Deputy Melton Borough Council leader, Margaret Glancy, with members of the local bin collection team and lorries with the new signage on

Large messages are now being displayed on some vehicles in the fleet as part of a county-wide crack down on fly-tippers.

The ‘It’s All Fly-Tipping’ campaign from the Leicestershire Waste Partnership, of which Melton Borough Council is a key member, aims to make residents aware of the correct way to dispose of waste and the consequences of fly-tipping.

Melton Council says it continues to monitor locally known hot-spots as well as the illegal transportation of waste.

Over the past 12 months, the council has investigated 42 incidents of fly-tipping within the borough, conducting early-stage intervention work with residents to resolve issues where possible, but also taking enforcement action, where appropriate, including the issue of 42 Community Protection Warnings, nine Community Protection Notices and three Fixed Penalty Notices.

Cllr Margaret Glancy, Melton Borough Council’s deputy leader and portfolio holder for governance, environment and regulatory services, said: “Fly-tipping is illegal, it’s an eyesore to those living locally and can be hazardous to our environment, wildlife and individuals.

“It's important that our residents are aware that their waste is their responsibility, and we want to educate people on the correct steps to take when they dispose of their waste.

"If you pay someone to take rubbish away, you need to make sure they are a licenced waste carrier first.

"If they are not, then your waste might be fly-tipped and you could face fines and/or legal action.”

On the changes to the bin lorries, she added: “The new promotional panels on the side of our waste vehicles will act as a reminder to everyone that we will not tolerate fly-tipping or behaviour which negatively impacts on our environment.

"We are determined to make Melton a cleaner and greener place to live and visit and we will take action against those who illegally dump waste in our borough.”

If waste is illegally transported or dumped, those responsible can be issued with fines ranging from a £300 Fixed Penalty Notice to an unlimited fine, receive a criminal record or be sentenced to time in prison.

Click HERE to check if someone is a registered waste carrier.