Anti-terror technology now used in fly-tip fight
COVERT ‘anti-terrorism technology,’ body cameras, drones and a beefed-up enforcement team are taking the fight to fly-tippers.
One of the biggest eyesores for people in Greater Manchester is the sight of old furniture and bags of rubbish dumped outside houses, along roads and at beauty spots.
Last year, there were 42,366 incidents of fly-tipping in the region – 116 every day – compared to 38,099 in 2017/18.
But Wigan is bucking the trend – it is the only borough where the number of fly-tipping incidents has fallen in each of the past five years.
Fly-tipping has dropped by a third since 2012/13, with more than £300,000 spent enforcing illegal dumping hotspots – but bosses are determined to crack down further.
In September 2017, the town hall rolled out three-weekly bin collections, which many residents feared would lead to a rise in fly-tipping.
Such concerns led to a major investment in surveillance technology, including new CCTV units and ‘fast deployment’ cameras.
The lightweight devices, which run off SIM cards, can be fixed to lampposts, trees and buildings.
Paul Barton, director of environment at Wigan council, said: “It’s anti-terrorism technology so a lot of it is very covert, and some of these cameras have infra-red and night vision.
“We’re quite camera-rich, with nearly 600 CCTV cameras and a dozen fast deployment cameras. It’s a big old arsenal compared to other authorities.”
Enforcement officers have also been given body-worn cameras.
Wigan is one of the first councils in the country to receive accreditation to use the equipment.
Within a year, drones could be deployed to tackle fly-tipping and take on survey work for the housing department, according to Mr Barton.
The overhaul of the ‘environmental education and enforcement’ team – which cost £150,000 – also included the recruitment of new officers alongside the authorisation of weekend patrols.
In areas blighted by fly-tipping, the council has put on community events, recycling education and provided ‘waste amnesty’ skips for people to dispose of their rubbish.
A successful waste amnesty in Leigh earned the council a Community Engagement Award from environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy.
The council has also dropped the price of bulky waste collections from residential properties.
For £10, the council will take up to three items per property over a 12-month period.