Cheshire East Council and the police have joined forces to crack down on rural fly-tippers.
The swoop targeted problem ‘hot-spots’ in the borough, which have seen repeated illegal dumping of waste by offenders.
The joint ‘Operation Fly’ was part of the council’s continued crackdown on anti-social behaviour.
The activity focussed on known illegal dumping hot-spots in the Macclesfield borough communities of Sutton, Wildboarclough, Kettleshulme and Rainow.
A total of 14 vehicles were stopped throughout the day, with education and advice being given to 12 of the vehicles’ drivers. Two drivers were asked to produce waste documents within seven days after being unable to produce them on the day. Failure to do so will result in further action.
Councillor Janet Clowes, Cheshire East Council cabinet member with responsibility for safer communities and rural affairs, said: “This joint operation with the police sends out a clear message that anti-social and criminal fly-tipping will not be tolerated in Cheshire East – not in our towns and villages and not in our beautiful countryside.
“The council’s campaign to reduce fly-tipping is seeing results. With our campaigns team we have been working hard to educate people on the anti-social nature of such offences and, as a result, we have seen a reduction in the amount of waste that is being disposed of inappropriately in the borough. But some of our rural areas are seeing persistent problems.
“Unfortunately, there will always be some people who don’t listen to the strong messages and fail to heed our warnings. There is no excuse for this disgusting behaviour and this joint operation with police shows we will not stop pursuing people who have ignored our clear and consistent advice.”
Rural locations in the north of the borough (such as Sutton, Wildboarclough, Kettleshulme and Rainow) have seen a persistent problem with fly-tipping. These incidents, of around two or three a week, have been reported direct to the police and the council.
However, most cannot be further investigated due to the nature of their location and lack of evidence within the waste or lack of witnesses. Due to the volume of waste involved, it is suspected that some offenders may be travelling from outside Cheshire East to illegally dump waste in isolated, rural locations.
Under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the law requires anyone dealing with waste to keep it safe, make sure it’s dealt with responsibly and only given to businesses licensed and authorised to take it.
Illegal waste disposal can be hazardous to the public, especially if it contains toxic material or asbestos. There could be a risk of damage to watercourses and soil quality from the dumped waste.
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