Fears for animal safety after surge in fly-tipping

With many municipal waste centres closed or operating on reduced hours due to lockdown, the blight of fly-tipping has been on the increase and a wide range of rural organisations have claimed that Scotland’s countryside is being used as a dumping ground.

Last week five of Scotland’s leading rural and environmental organisations – NFU Scotland, Scottish Land & Estates, Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime, Keep Scotland Beautiful and Zero Waste Scotland – issued a joint statement drawing attention to the costs of the rise in fly-tipping during the Covid-19 pandemic – but this week they claimed the situation was deteriorating.

“The irresponsible actions of a minority have targeted fields, laybys, and country roads to dispose of household waste, unwanted furniture and appliances and DIY remnants,” NFU Scotland claimed this week.

“Increasingly, garden waste has been getting dumped and that poses a huge risk to the health of livestock,” said the union’s animal health and welfare policy manager, Penny Middleton.

She said that reports had included the death of a young calf which choked on a crisp bag, domestic and garden waste appearing in the countryside across the nation and ground care workers dumping cuttings and clippings from a local cemetery straight into a farmer’s field next door.

“It is so disappointing to see people continuing to use our beautiful countryside as a giant tip but, with the upturn in the weather and people working in their gardens, the surge in garden waste being dumped will result in animals dying,” said Middleton.

And Middleton warned that waste of any kind was hazardous to livestock and wildlife: “So dumping it in the countryside or on farmland is extremely dangerous. The distressing report of a young calf choking on a crisp bag is dreadful but highlights just what impact such reckless behaviour can have.

“Animals are naturally curious and will investigate foreign objects left in their environment. Hazards can include injury from sharp edges and protruding objects or the risk of becoming caught up or entangled in waste materials.”

She added that waste could also contain substances toxic to animals or the environment – with lead poisoning being quite common where car batteries or other waste materials were dumped and she pointed out that substances like antifreeze could be attractive to animals but were extremely toxic.

“Of immediate concern is the amount of garden waste now being dumped,” she said. “If that waste contains plants like yew or rhododendron it will quickly cause death in cattle and sheep if eaten. Similarly, grass cuttings pose a significant danger to horses.

“The plea to the public, for the health of livestock and wildlife, is please store your waste until lockdown is over then dispose of it responsibly.”

And the organisations also warned householders not to be taken in by offers of cheap disposal – which were likely to lead to others fly-tipping.

“Keeping items on your own property for a few weeks is better than taking part in a criminal act that could have longer term consequences, not to mention a fine of up to £40,000.”