MOUNTAIN OF RUBBISH LEFT IN STREET
Police ask public to help stop illegal dumping
FLY-TIPPERS have dumped a mountain of rubbish including old couches and household waste next to houses in Runcorn.
Police in Runcorn posted a picture of the mess, on land on South Road in Weston Point, on Monday last week, and urged residents to report fly-tipping incidents to Halton Borough Council.
The full extent of the mess became apparent when the Weekly News visited the area.
Alongside the hillock of couches, cardboard boxes, a chair and mattress is a scene of general mess with litter and pieces of wood, piping and other items scattered everywhere.
In November, Halton Council said it was investigating a lorry load of tyres and other waste dumped alongside a trailer on wasteland in Astmoor Industrial Estate, Runcorn, and a “horrifying” patch of tonnes of fly-tipped waste was discovered on a disused road off Picow Farm Road in June last year.
In Widnes, part of the Golden Triangle industrial estate has become a dumping ground for waste prompting fire safety fears for nearby homes.
Halton Council said it is making enquiries to establish who owns the land.
A council spokeswoman said: “We are aware of this incident and are looking into land ownership as we suspect it isn’t council land.
“If it is council land we will make arrangements to have the waste cleared.
“If not, we will consider the best way to tackle it with the land owner.
“Despite it possibly not being council land we are investigating the matter and would look to support any possible enforcement action.
“We will be speaking to local residents and inspecting the waste to see if we can find any evidence of who may be responsible.”
The Government launched a taskforce dedicated to waste crime in January 2020, but it remains to be seen what impact the Joint Unit for Waste Crime will have in areas such as Halton.
Halton Borough Council has an online form to fill in for anyone wishing to report fly-tipping in the area.