CCTV cameras are now operating at fly tipping hot spots in South East Northumberland as part of a drive by the county council to clamp down on the problem. 

 

The sixteen cameras will be installed in and around the towns of Ashington and Blyth which have been blighted by incidents of fly-tipping. 

 

Figures show that in 2022 of the 2,776 reports of fly-tipping in the county, 87% (2,413) occurred in Ashington and Blyth. 

 

The hi-tech cameras will capture footage of vehicles and people illegally dumping waste which will be used as evidence to issue Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) charges of up to £400 and possibly legal action against those responsible if the FPN is not paid. 

 

They can continuously record and can easily be attached to infrastructure, such as lampposts and buildings, to deter potential offenders. 

 

Where the CCTV cameras are in operation, signage will be installed to warn people that they are in operation in that area.   

 

The cameras were purchased thanks to a £33,000 Fly-Tipping Intervention Grant the council was successful in obtaining from the Rural Payments Agency earlier this year. 

 

Northumberland County Councillor Gordon Stewart, cabinet member with responsibility for Looking After Our Communities said: 

 

“Fly-tipping affects everyone across our county. It costs council taxpayers money, it damages our neighbourhoods and harms the environment. 

 

“Fly-tipping is a serious criminal offence, and we hope these CCTV cameras will act as a deterrent to many. However, we will not hesitate to prosecute those caught fly-tipping on camera, and this will help to go some way in tackling this ongoing and unwanted problem. 

Proactive and reactive action will also be taken to reduce the chance of displacing the offending. 

 

Northumberland County Councillor and ward councillor Kath Nisbett added: 

 

“We're urging everyone to please do the right thing and dispose of their waste in a responsible way. We all need to love where we live and show pride in our community. 

 

“We hope these cameras will play a key role in preventing the dumping of waste in and around the streets of Blyth. When the council has to clear up fly tips it costs money which could be spent on far better things.” 

 

The areas which are problematic for fly-tipping are older housing areas with back lanes which have high walls on each side which provide many opportunities for the dumping of waste without detection. The dumped items are household waste ranging from fridges and sofas to bagged food and general rubbish.  

 

Councillor Stewart added: “It’s important to remember that the obligation to ensure that waste is disposed of lawfully falls on whoever produces the waste. As the householder, if you use an unlicensed waste carrier who illegally dumps your waste, both you and the carrier are liable to receive a FPN Charge and even face prosecution.” 

 

Northumberland residents are urged to only use waste carriers that have a waste carriers licence issued by the Environment Agency and should ask to see this before agreeing to any collection  

They are also advised to be wary of businesses that only operate through social media, those that do not have a landline phone number or business address or anyone coming to your door offering to remove rubbish on the cheap. 

How to check a waste carrier is reputable  

Visit the Environment Agency's waste carrier register nland.cc/waste and enter the business name or, search for licensed waste operators near you on the public registers pages of the website.