Call to halt residents’ fly-tipping nightmare
More must be done to address this, says councillor
Jack Thomson
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lynsey.gair@reachplc.com kirsteen.brown@trinitymirror.com 0141 309 4312 A Paisley councillor has claimed the issue of fly- tipping is “getting worse” after rubbish was dumped on the ground in Wellmeadow Street.
Paisley Northwest councillor Karen Kennedy believes more has to be done to stop people disposing of waste illegally.
Responding to complaints from a constituent, she visited the spot and has been left raging by the problem.
Some of the overspilling bins have names of businesses on them, and Councillor Kennedy has called on the council to penalise them.
She said: “The situation is getting worse. This area is just as bad as anywhere else. This and Shortroods. I’m getting a lot of complaints of fly-tipping.
“I really don’t know what the answer is. Names and addresses are on some of the items dumped. There are signs up saying ‘we’ll fine you’ – so fine people.
“I think residents have come to the conclusion that nobody cares, so they’ve let it go. I wouldn’t want to live with this outside my front door.”
Earlier this year, the council moved to crack down on businesses illegally dumping commercial waste by introducing permits at household waste recycling centres.
It means anyone driving a van, pickup, mini-bus or towing a trailer must register for a permit the day before they visit the facility.
However, Councillor Kennedy claimed the move has backfired as residents who drive vans are being caught out.
She said: “I definitely think the permits have played into it because a lot of people use vans as their main car. That’s their transport.
“I’ve had reports of people going to the dump in their van and being refused because they’ve not known they needed a permit, so they leave.
“What they’re doing with that rubbish when they leave, I just don’t know.
“Are they dumping it somewhere because of the hassle of going for a permit to dump household rubbish? I understand it for companies, but I think it’s putting off people using the dump.”
Renfrewshire Council said the responsibility of properly disposing of rubbish lies with residents and businesses.
A spokeswoman said: “Residents and businesses are responsible for disposing of their waste and recycling correctly.
“We investigate all instances reported to us and take action when evidence of fly-tipping is found.
“Anyone who witnesses waste and recycling not being disposed of correctly should report this to us on 0300 300 0300.”