ORGANISED criminal fly-tipping gangs are dumping rubbish on Bradford’s streets and attempting to evade the law through a number of tactics, it has been revealed.
Footage showing scratched or taped up number plates and perpetrators wearing balaclavas are captured every year on Bradford Council’s live cameras.
They are contributing to the huge problem along with residents and landlords looking to conveniently dispose of waste.
Many adverts for waste removal can be traced to the same phone numbers, said Amjad Ishaq on the Council's Environmental Enforcement Team.
Huge and potentially hazardous fly-tips can be found anywhere across Bradford district - from inner city streets to farmland or private land.
“Some of it is residents,” Amjad, environmental services and enforcement manager, said.
“A lot of it is organised. They know what they’re doing. There’s people knocking on doors saying I can take it for a tenner.
“Some of the stuff that’s fly-tipped it’s dangerous, it’s hazardous. Some waste can attract rats, you’ll see the birds coming in, the rats coming in. People can get physically injured.
“My team predominantly deals with private land owners. We have teams, they’re working daily to remove waste from public areas. It’s a 50/50 split. Farmland is a common one. There’s not a lot of lighting and they can be victims of fly-tipping. If you do own some land make sure you protect it.”
In a warning to those behind the illegal dumps, Amjad said: “These are criminal offences. If anybody gets a litter fine you’re going to end up with a criminal record - same with fly-tipping. These are serious offences.
“We absolutely detest it. We will do our absolute best to investigate and bring the people to account.”
Householders have a legal duty to make sure they pass their waste onto reputable companies.
You can face fines up to £5,000 and end up with a criminal record if your rubbish is found to be fly tipped.
Bradford Council can now fine the registered keepers of vehicles if the driver or someone else is caught throwing litter out of their car.
It is part of a wide range of measures being used to target criminals with a new trial of AI-led cameras already underway.
Crews rely on live cameras filming fly-tipping hotspots, footage from the public, and reports to track down those committing the serious offence.
Vehicles used to commit fly-tipping offences are regularly seized, sold or crushed.
Enforcement action is also taken against private land owners who do not deal with waste on their land.
“We can crush the vehicle or sell it,” Amjad said.
“99 per cent of the time all the vehicles we’ve seized are not road worthy, they have very little value.”
Councillor Sarah Ferriby, the portfolio holder for healthy people and places, said: “It disrupts them. Fair enough they might go buy another one but they go out of pocket. It annoys them. They can’t carry out more fly tips.”
In a message to those behind fly-tipping and littering, Councillor Sarah Ferriby said: “Have a social conscience and don’t do it. If you do it we will do our best to get you.
“It’s a cost to council taxpayers. It’s not acceptable in any place.”
Community Clean Up campaign
The message is part of the Telegraph & Argus’ new Community Clean Up campaign - encouraging people to take small steps in the battle against those who damage the places we live and love.
Fly-tipping and littering has blighted streets and neighbourhoods across Bradford district for too long.
There are already lots of community groups, litter picking heroes, and kind neighbours making a difference on their doorstep.
We want to celebrate the amazing work of Bradfordians by regularly sharing their efforts.
It’s time to start shouting up about the amazing volunteers who make our streets cleaner and call out the grot-spots in our communities.
You can send in photos and videos of your community’s litter clean up’s by emailing newsdesk@telegraphandargus.co.uk
What you need to know about fly-tipping
Fly-tipping sites can be reported to Bradford Council by calling 01274 431000 or at www.bradford.gov.uk
Anyone who suspects that someone will be disposing of waste illegally should report them to the Environment Agency.
You can check that a waste carrier is registered by visiting the agency’s website, www.environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/index
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