Crackdown on Mount Alexander fly tipping
TRADESMEN in Fort William are being targeted in a crackdown by environmental investigators after years of illegal dumping at a site at Camaghael, on the outskirts of the town.
The investigators, from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), say they are responding to complaints of persistent fly tipping at the Mount Alexander site, and that they are now working with the local community to tackle the problem.
On Monday last week, officers from SEPA’s Waste Crime Team led a multi-agency response involving Police Scotland and Highland Council to investigate and deal with the illegal activity.
In November last year, the Lochaber Times reported Kilmallie Community Council’s anger and frustration that the problem of fly tipping at Mount Alexander was still going on.
Building and construction materials, as well as abandoned cookers, fridges and even old cars, are among the types of waste that have been dumped at the spot over a considerable number of years.
And SEPA says it is evident tradesmen are persistently dumping waste materials at the site to avoid paying the cost of disposal at legitimate waste management sites, which the agency believes is clearly for financial gain, with complete disregard for the law and the possible environmental consequences.
Work to clear away the dumped waste could be as much as £50,000 according to SEPA, depending on the types of waste involved.
To deter further fly tipping, SEPA is working with the local community to seek solutions to restrict access to the site and with Police Scotland to carry out road checks in Fort William to ensure that anyone carrying ‘controlled waste’ is a registered waste carrier with the appropriate permits in place.
Enforcement action will be undertaken if or as required and this can include the issue of a fixed penalty of £300 or prosecution.
SEPA officers are also visiting local businesses to gather information, check permits and reinforce the responsibilities and obligations that apply to anyone producing, carrying or managing waste.
Information notices will be issued to businesses unable to provide details of how they are disposing of their waste.
SEPA is working with the Highland Council and local media outlets to try to raise public awareness of the fly tipping problem and the actions that residents can take to prevent it.
SEPA’s chief executive officer Terry A’Hearn said: ‘It is a criminal offence to illegally dispose of waste, with firm obligations on the waste producer to ensure their waste is managed by a SEPA-registered waste carrier at a fully-licenced site
‘In addition, there are significant penalties for traders or business moving or disposing of waste illegally, as well as cleanup costs for landowners whose sites are used for illegal disposal.
‘Our actions in Fort William will help to raise awareness of the issue of fly tipping and hopefully encourage the local community to help make the activity socially unacceptable.
‘Communities can help us to end the selfish, criminal fly tipping behaviour that blights our land. If you suspect fly tipping is being carried out, or to report illegal traders, calling the Dumb Dumpers Stopline on 08452 304090 or complete a form on the dumbdumpers.org website.’
Sergeant Ewan Calder, of the Police Scotland Road Policing Unit based in Fort William, added: ‘We will be working in partnership with SEPA to deter fly tipping and to take action against anyone found to be committing any waste management related offences.
‘If anyone sees fly tipping, we would urge them to report it to us or SEPA at the time or as soon as possible, along with any descriptions of people or vehicles used, including make, model and registration if possible.’
Local councillor Allan Henderson, chairman of Highland Council’s Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee, said the local authority welcomed the SEPA operation.
‘There is no excuse for fly tipping anywhere in our region as Highland Council provides 21 recycling centres across the Highlands including one in Fort William at Claggan,’ he said.
‘It’s particularly disappointing this site at Mount Alexander is being persistently targeted with illegal trade waste.’
Mr Henderson’s council colleague and fellow member for Caol and Mallaig, Ben Thompson, added: ‘We urge local people not to accept cheap quotes for building or construction works as often behind that cost cutting can be criminality and illegal dumping like this.’