South Tyneside Council is warning fly-tippers that it is making good use of new powers to crack down on people who illegally dump waste.
New legislation came into force earlier this year which allows councils to issue an on-the-spot penalty of between £150 and £400 to people caught low level fly-tipping.
South Tyneside Council has already used the new powers on two occasions. The first was to a man who visited the recycling village after hours and, instead of taking his rubbish home, deposited a mattress and cardboard packaging in a nearby skip belonging to a business at Middlefields. His fixed penalty notice of £150 has been paid.
The second case involved a man leaving a sofa near the bin storage cupboard at Westmorland Court in Hebburn. His fixed penalty notice of £150 has also been paid.
Councillor Moira Smith, Lead Member for Area Management and Community Safety, said: “There is simply no excuse for dumping waste illegally. The actions of a small number of individuals blight the Borough and can make life a misery for those living close to fly-tipping ‘hot-spots.’
“We are committed to using every tool at our disposal to keep the Borough looking at its best and will continue to crack down on the small minority of residents who spoil the beauty of our neighbourhoods.”
A variety of waste can be recycled at the Recycling Village at Middlefields Industrial Estate in South Shields which is open from 9am until 6pm and a site is also available at Middlefields where businesses and builders can take their waste through a licensed waste management site.
To report fly-tipping or other environmental problems, call the Council’s Customer Contact Centre on (0191) 427 7000 or emailcustomerhelp@southtyneside.co.uk