Farmers Face Fly Tipping Battle
by CCUK Support
Across East Sussex they are facing an asbestos fly tipping problem, where the deadly material has been found being dumped on country lanes. In June alone it had been found discarded in multiple areas in the region and the council for Wealden released images that showed piles of potentially dangerous asbestos insulation board (AIB) as well as rubbish bags left in woodland by the side of the road. A spokesman for the council said, “Someone is endangering their own health and that of others.”
Over to Penkridge, Staffordshire where two local farmers have been speaking out against the problems with fly tipping and the punishment currently in place for those caught. Matthew of Bickford Grange Farm in the area have told how they have been victims of fly tipping on their land for the last three years, but it has got worse in recent years, Matthew gave examples of some of the different types of debris they have found “We’ve had tyres, cannabis grow residue, house clearances and toilets from pubs left on our land all within the last 12 months.” Continuing he said, “We’ve had a lot of double glazed windows, a lot of garden sheds and fence panels with nails in and glass and we have to clean that up.”
Richard Bowyer who works at a different farm in Penkridge and has also been a victim of fly tipping has also said they have found more dangerous materials “We have had lorry loads of waste tyres with nails and asbestos tipped on our land in the last year.” He also told of the cost he has faced to remove the waste “We have had to pay for these to be disposed of correctly at a cost of £3,000.” Mr Bowyer believes that “The punishment for this crime is not big enough in my view, to deter it from happening.”
In a crime survey conducted by the National Farmers Union (NFU) back in March they found that fly tipping was the most prolific crime their members had experienced with the results showing that 48% of those surveyed had been affected by it in 2020. NFU deputy president, Stuart Roberts said: “This survey has again thrown into sharp focus the extensive problems fly-tipping is causing.” And that he believes “These crimes must be taken seriously.” The union want to see farmers work together with local authorities, environmental agencies and the police working together to prevent these crimes.
You can find out more details on the above stories in the following article:
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