A fly-tipper caught dumping business waste into communal bins in a Thamesmead estate has been fined £1,000 after a resident captured the crime on video.
The resident’s footage captured both the fly-tipping offence and a vehicle connected to a business, providing council officers with vital evidence to trace and identify the offender. Following an investigation by the council, a £1,000 fine was issued for fly-tipping, which has since been paid in full.
All businesses have a legal responsibility to ensure their waste is collected and disposed of by a licensed commercial waste carrier. Failure to do so is not only illegal, it also unfairly leaves council taxpayers picking up the bill for clearing and disposing of waste that businesses are responsible for managing themselves.
In recognition of the crucial role their evidence played in securing a successful enforcement outcome, the resident has received a £100 reward as part of our Getting Things Done initiative.
Councillor Calum O'Byrne Mulligan, Cabinet Member for Transport, Climate Change, Waste and Streets, said: “In Greenwich, we do not tolerate fly-tipping. Dumping business waste in communal residential bins is not only illegal, it is unfair on residents, and puts unnecessary pressure on shared facilities and leaves council taxpayers to pick up the tab.
“Thanks to the resident who took the time to report this incident and provide video evidence, we were able to identify the offender and issue them with a £1,000 fine. It shows what can be achieved when residents and the council work together to get things done and keep the borough welcoming for everyone.
“If you witness fly-tipping or have information that could help an investigation, please report it to us. The evidence you provide can make a real difference, helping us identify offenders and ensure those who commit environmental crime are held to account.”
As part of tackling fly-tipping, we are cracking down on businesses who fail to meet their duty of care. We have been visiting businesses across the borough to check compliance with duty of care requirements, working with businesses to ensure they are doing the right thing and issuing fines if they fail to comply. Since July, we have issued 92 fines as part of this operation.
Do you have information that can help us identify fly-tippers?
Residents are encouraged to submit information that can help identify a Person of Binterest. We are releasing CCTV footage of people caught fly-tipping on camera, and if you know or recognise any people shown, let us know by filling out the online form.
You can also submit evidence if you witness a fly-tipper in action, including:
- photos or video footage
- doorbell camera footage
- dashcam footage
- CCTV
Evidence should be unedited and include the date and time of the incident.
Our dedicated team will review evidence submitted, and if it leads to a successful fine or prosecution, residents could receive a £100 reward. Evidence can be submitted online.
To date, eight reward payments have been processed for residents who have provided evidence that has led to a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN). We’ve handed out over 1,249 fines this year as part of our crackdown on fly-tipping.
This work is all part of the council’s £5million Getting Things Done drive to make its streets cleaner by punishing people who fly-tip, as well as improving how it clears up mess and makes it easier for people to get rid of rubbish the right way.
To dispose of waste legally and easily please book a bulky waste collection on the council's website or take it to the Reuse and Recycling Centre.