Households have been urged not to undertake major clear-outs during the coronavirus lockdown to stop the rise in fly-tipping.
There have also been calls on the Government to designate recycling centre workers as part of an essential service, to help prevent the problem.
It comes as fly-tipping has surged as much as 300 per cent as councils warn of a ‘wave of waste’ amid the coronavirus crisis.
Not only is fly-tipping illegal but it also means Britons are taking on non-essential travel to dump their rubbish, breaking Government orders and risking further spread of the virus.
Wembley, North London: Piles of recycling and general rubbish lay uncollected at Tesco Extra Store
Bermondsey, south-east London: A mattress, furniture and rubbish spill on to the street from a skip
Small Heath, Birmingham: A disgusting pile of rubbish is strewn across the street amid the ‘wave of waste’ in Britain
Nottinghamshire: Fly-tipping has surged as much as 300 per cent as councils warn of a growing rubbish problem amid the coronavirus crisis
Wavertree, Liverpool: Discarded furniture and boxes are piled up outside houses as rubbish mounts on Britain’s streets
Haringey, north London: Councillors across the country are informing people the recycling centres are closing
Durham county councillor John Clare, who represents Newton Aycliffe, said: ‘There is a fear that white van men will pick up stuff and tell people they are taking it away, but then in fact are then driving out to the countryside and dumping it.
‘The solution is that the government declares tip workers along with other things like supermarkets as key workers, then we can get all these places reopened.’
He added: ‘The safety of workers is cited, but if ever there was a situation where the workers were safe it would be at a household waste recycling centre, when people dump their stuff in bins and drive off again.’
Oliver Sherratt, Durham County Council’s head of environment, said about the Government’s allowances for leaving home: ‘As visits to household waste recycling centres are not included, we would encourage people not to undertake major clear outs during this stay-at-home period as these sites will not be open.
‘Should the restrictions be loosened, we will of course consider re-opening the facilities, ensuring as far as possible that social distancing is maintained.’
Wembley, north London: Councils call on the Government to designate recycling centre workers as part of an essential service
Middlesbrough: Councils are closing recycling centres which has led to an increase in fly-tipping
In Nottinghamshire, black bin bags have been dumped near woodland as households are looking to get rid of their excess rubbish
In Small Heath, Birmingham, rotting rubbish has been dumped straight on to the street
Rubbish is strewn on the floor near recycling bins on a street in Bermondsey, south-east London, today
Harrow, north London: Not only is fly-tipping illegal, but many are making unnecessary trips outside to dump their rubbish during isolation
Households have been urged not to undertake major clear-outs during the coronavirus lockdown
Mr Sherratt said some of the fly-tipping incidents recorded by a photographer had been cleared while others were subject to enforcement action.
He added: ‘We have fly-tipping cameras deployed around several areas of the county and our neighbourhood wardens continue to prioritise work in tackling this illegal activity. We will not hesitate to take further action against those who fly-tip.’
Councillor Andy Keir, Darlington Borough Council’s cabinet member for local services said: ‘We are doing everything we can to ensure that all our services comply with Government guidance and only staff doing essential work are on site. We have had to cut back on street cleaning, but staff will continue to deal with anything that poses a health risk.
‘Thankfully we have not seen an increase in fly tipping, in fact the number of calls we’ve received in the past week is less than the same period last year – 56 compared to 100.
Across Britain, many households are taking unncessary journeys to dump their rubbish outside
In Toxteth, Liverpool, bags of rubbish and recycling have been dumped on the streets
‘However, we would remind residents that fly tipping is illegal and can lead to prosecution and urge them to be vigilant and continue to report incidents to us using our online form at www.darlington.gov.uk/reportit
‘We would also urge residents to manage their waste responsibly and to follow government guidelines to ensure anyone who is self-isolating double bag personal waste such as used tissues and disposable cleaning cloths.
‘Such items should be stored securely within a bag, with this then placed in another bag which is tied securely and kept separate from other waste. These should then be put aside for at least 72 hours before being put in external household waste bins.’
The advice comes after shocked refuse collectors discovered open bags of rubbish with used face masks spilling out of them by a block of flats in Birmingham.
They refused to take the rubbish after finding the stack of face masks spilling from overflowing bin liners in a communal storage area for trash.
Shocked refuse collectors discovered open bags of rubbish with used face masks spilling out of them by a block of flats in Birmingham
The waste collectors refused to take the rubbish after finding the stack of face masks spilling from overflowing bin liners in a communal rubbish area
Birmingham City Council said the reckless actions put staff at risk and urged residents to double-bag coronavirus-related rubbish, in line with government advice.
Councillor John O’Shea, cabinet member for street scene and parks, said: ‘I was shocked and saddened when I heard about this and saw the pictures that our crew had taken.
‘It is always important to present our waste in the correct way for our crews to collect it – but in this current situation, it is absolutely critical to get it right.
‘Our crews have the correct protective gear for their duties.
‘Presenting open bags of rubbish with used face masks puts our hard-working frontline employees at risk as well as other residents in their block.
A mattress was among the rubbish strewn in a field in Willenhall, West Midlands, by selfish flytippers
Outside an off-licence in Bermondsey, piles of cardboard and bin bags lie waiting to be collected on Friday morning
‘It really is quite simple. If we do everything we can to stop the spread of coronavirus we will be protecting the NHS and saving lives.
‘A small number of people in this isolated case are putting that at risk – and I hope that making the people of Birmingham aware of this ensures we all put out our waste safely.’
The council made contact with the managing agent responsible for the flats to ensure the situation was resolved so future waste collections can take place.
As most of the nation remains isolated, families are generating much more food leftovers, filling up bins to the brim.
And many are using the spare time to carry out home and garden makeovers, creating even more rubbish and recycling.
People are even dumping items outside charity shops – building mountains of clothes and bric-a-brac – despite the fact they are not open.
Many people are using the time – while self-isolating at home – to carry out home and garden makeovers, creating even more rubbish and recycling. Pictured: Dumped rubbish in Willenhall
Recycling bins were overflowing with cardboard in Canada Water, London, as the lockdown continued
A row of bins with each one filled to the brim were seen in south-east London as residents remain shut in their homes
Cases of fly-tipping in both rural and urban areas have sky rocketed as coronavirus chaos sweeps the nation, with many tips up and down the country being closed completely or left severely short staffed.
Selfish individuals have used the window of opportunity – while the nation rallies together to tackle Covid-19 – to dispose of unwanted items.
Fly-tipping figures have now surged by up to 300 per cent, officials have revealed, and look set to get worse with many key tipping sites and recycle centres remaining closed for the foreseeable future.
Kerbside collections have also been scaled back in some areas.
Shocking images across the UK show piles of waste dumped on roadsides, lanes parks and fields, left to the responsibility of local communities.
Pictures across the UK shows piles of waste dumped on roadsides, lanes parks and fields following the closure of waste centres.
Fly-tipping is now surging across the UK as tips are forced to close during the rapidly escalating coronavirus pandemic. Pictured, a battered refrigerator lay at the roadside in Ashford, Kent, yesterday
Much of the rubbish has been dumped on the pavement, causing rubbish to be scattered across the street
Selfish individuals have used the window of opportunity to get rid of waste items while the nation rallies together to tackle the spread of Covid-19
A Twitter post revealed discarded clutter at the entrance to a farmer’s field in the Cotswolds
Sheets of cardboard, boxes and decking are abandoned against a wall in the capital as fly-tipping surges
Officials say many people are taking rubbish to recycling centres and when then finding the location closed, simply dumping it outside on the journey home.
One council says the amount of waste dumped in this manner has gone up ‘three fold’, with West Oxfordshire District Council now urging its residents and businesses not to dump waste in communal recycling areas.
They noted that recycling areas are having to be cleared every day by the council’s waste team, before posted images on Facebook of revolting piles of bin bags, household cluFtter and a baby’s high chair in the supermarket car park.
Cllr Norman MacRae, cabinet member for the environment, said: ‘While we have some sympathy with residents who may have quantities of waste building up, we must emphasise that for everyone’s safety please refrain from dumping it in public spaces.
‘This places an unnecessary additional workload on our cleaning teams and is not acceptable at any time let alone the current coronavirus situation.
‘The law has not changed and anyone caught fly-tipping will face prosecution and a large fine.’
A spokesman for the council said: ‘We have not calculated the exact tonnage data as yet but we can say we have seen a threefold increase in items at key sites which is forcing us to carry out additional collections with a dedicated crew and truck.
Councillors in Lancashire branded fly-tippers ‘disgusting’ for taking advantage of the coronavirus outbreak to dump rubbish.
Cllr Ray Davies, the Darwen East Liberal Democrat, said: ‘We are in a situation where we are advised to isolate but, in some areas, they are taking advantage and simply fly tipping and not making full use of the bins.
Tameside council of greater Manchester shared images of mess on social media yesterday
Streets in the Manchester area are now filling up with discarded sofas and large items
Locals councils are being pushed to the limit as a result, as the clean up operations begin
With housebound Brits buying more items online, many Amazon boxes are now being piled up on the streets
Hounslow Police shared images of heaps of rubbish from illegal encampments near the A4
‘People are simply throwing bags and furniture into the back alleys and saying ‘nothing to do with me’.
‘This is appalling. We need to be cleaner and more hygienic but here we have thoughtless residents taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic and dumping rubbish in back alleys while the borough council staff are busy with other issues to do with the Covid-19 outbreak.
‘We are in isolation because of dirty habits, this must be a warning to all of us that we cannot keep doing this and must work together for the sake of future generations and the planet.
Alleyways in Stoke-on-Trent are also strewn with household waste, including uneaten food and fridges, which locals now harbour growing concerns about animal infestation.
Monienne Stone, secretary of Fenton Events Board, said: ‘Fly-tipping has been an ongoing problem in many areas of Fenton.
‘It’s an urgent public health issue. People need to understand that it’s not OK to dump litter as it endangers all our health.
Fly tipped rubbish around Small Heath, Birmingham, showing a complete lack of regard for public health with ditched items ranging from suitcases to children’s playing toys
A wrecked office chair was seen among the debris which now lines the streets of the area
Mouldy mattresses now occupy the roadside, collecting germs and posing a health risk
Authorities point to people realising the tip is closed and then deciding to fly-tip their waste on the journey home, in hope of going undetected
Dumped bin bags are now collecting in large quantity after kerbside collections were cut back
The disgusting scenes are becoming more prevalent after fly-tipping surged by 300 per cent
Local councils warned of the vast cost of taxpayer’s money which will be needed to clean up
‘There’s also the cost to the taxpayer to clear it up.’
In Greater Manchester where recycling centres have also closed and there are fewer council workers to collect waste, fly-tipping is also on the rise.
Heaps of bin bags, household furniture items and cardboard boxes are piled on streets in Collyhurst, Chadderton and Saddleworth.
Manchester City Council’s Executive Member for Neighbourhoods, Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar, said: ‘Further to a fly-tipping incident on Sand Street, Collyhurst, we are currently looking into evidence provided to us by a local resident and will do everything in our power to secure the culprit’s conviction.
‘While this investigation is carried out, the dumped waste will also be cleared.
‘At a time when we should all be pulling together, it is disgraceful that anybody still thinks that it is OK to fly-tip in our neighbourhoods.’
Scotland is also feeling the effects of opportunistic fly-tippers, with numerous tourists spots and places of natural beauty now starting to fill up with carelessly disposed waste.
Scotland is also feeling the effects of fly-tipping, with rubbish now strewn across country roads in Fifa (pictured) including mattresses and garden waste
An entire cooker was seen discarded in a local neighbourhood, in the middle of a public path
Local governments have insisted offenders will be identified and prosecuted in court
Mattresses were abandoned at a recycling centre in Fife, while household rubbish spilled across a grassy verge at a rural beauty spot on the outskirts of the city.
Selfish fly-tippers are ignoring government guidance against non-essential travel leading Fife Council to slam residents’ ‘irresponsible’ behaviour.
Dawn Jamieson, safer communities team manager, said: ‘Fly tipping is an issue. I think it’s probably been highlighted a bit more over the past couple of weeks.
‘What we’ve been trying to do is make people a bit more responsible.
‘Because centres have been closed people will be thinking it’s acceptable to be putting their rubbish and that’s not the message we’re trying to get across.
‘There really isn’t an excuse at all – people are very irresponsible.
‘With everything else going on at the moment, how people are finding the time to go out and go against the government’s advice to make unnecessary journeys and dump rubbish is beyond me.’
Ken Gourlay, head of assets and transportation and environment at Fife Council, said: ‘Unfortunately, in these challenging times when council services are already under additional pressure, the misuse of recycling points and fly tipping are issues.
‘Everyone is responsible for their own waste and must dispose of their rubbish responsibly.
A whole host of items are being littered across the roads, with evidence of Christmas trees left over from December ditched as part of the fly-tipping offences
In some communities an excess of abandoned food is causing concern regarding an outbreak of animal infestation
‘Recycling points are still available at supermarkets and shopping centres, but residents are requested not to make special visits to them, in line with government guidance, but to use them while doing their essential shopping.
‘If your supermarket has recycling facilities and you are travelling there anyway, please dispose of your recycling responsibly.
‘Waste and recycling should not be placed beside the bins at recycling points or communal bins.
‘We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause, but we ask that everyone follows the government’s strict instructions at this time and not make any non-essential journeys and undertake non-essential activities.
‘We are working hard to ensure that we continue to pick up domestic bins from the kerb, so that there’s no need to travel.
‘We ask that only bins that need emptied – more than half full – are put out for collection to help relieve pressure on our reduced collection teams.
‘With the closure of the household waste and recycling centres, and the suspension of the bulky uplift service, residents should ensure that large items intended for disposal are stored safely away from communal areas.
‘It’s that time of year when people are getting on with garden maintenance and D.I.Y – brown bins continue to be collected for garden waste, so please store any excess waste responsibly.’