Council's campaign to tackle fly-tipping grows with launch of dedicated webpages

The council's hard-hitting We're Targeting Fly-tippers (WTF) campaign continues to gather pace with the launch of dedicated fly-tipping webpages.

www.wiltshire.gov.uk/fly-tipping will provide people with a range of information about the WTF campaign including:

• what is classed as fly-tipping
• how to report fly-tipping and/or unlicensed waste carriers
• the witness reward scheme
• possible penalties for offenders
• recent prosecutions and
• how to access further information to comply with the laws around waste disposal.

The WTF campaign was launched in late 2022 following the council's extra investment of £150,000 each year for three years to tackling fly-tipping and environmental crime in the county. The funding was used to employ more officers, invest in more equipment such as covert and overt cameras and hard-hitting campaign activity to both prevent and catch fly-tippers.

In July this year, the Stop at Source (SAS) campaign was also launched aiming to make people aware of their 'duty of care' when getting rid of their waste, particularly those who give it someone else to take it away for them, such as people who advertise 'tip runs' on social media groups. If the waste is subsequently fly-tipped, they could be issued with the fixed penalty notice or prosecuted.

Cllr Nick Holder, Cabinet Member for Highways and Street Scene, said: "Our teams are working to tackle fly-tipping in the county. The We're Targeting Fly-tippers (WTF) and Stop at Source campaigns (SAS) are getting results, and we are prosecuting more offenders than ever before.

"However, as well as fly-tipping enforcement and prosecutions, the campaigns are also about educating people. This dedicated webpage will give people access to information on how to dispose of their waste safely and legally; as well as the dangers of giving their waste to people who are advertising 'tip runs' without taking the necessary steps to protect themselves.

"Our Business Plan pledge is to reduce fly-tipping in Wiltshire and with this new educational phase of the campaign we're showing our commitment to seeing incidents of this unnecessary environmental crime decrease in our beautiful county."

To find out more about the WTF campaign, fly-tipping prevention and find out how to dispose of household and business waste correctly, people should go on our website.