Environment secretary, Andrea Leadsom, has said that fly-tippers will be forced to pick up litter as part of community service, alongside a range of other measures.
As part of a national litter strategy published today, fly-tippers shall also be made to clear up dumped waste.
The new plans shall also help councils end the “unfair” practice of charging people to use tips – which is thought that be a contributing factor to fly-tipping.
Leadsom said:
Countless volunteers take time out of their lives to clean up the mess made by irresponsible litter louts and fly-tippers.
“But clearing up after fly-tipping not only affects local communities, it also costs the public purse millions. The government now wants to see more of those committing crimes like this taking responsibility for cleaning up the community by picking up litter and illegally dumped waste themselves.”
More bins are to be rolled out across the country, including smart bin technology that will help councils understand where the hot spots are and when they need emptying.
This shall also help councils measure how much waste is being dumped so that improvements can be measured.
A country-wide anti-litter campaign is also set to be rolled out in 2018 that is designed to make littering as socially unacceptable as drink-driving.
Speaking with The Telegraph, Leadsom said:
England prides itself on its iconic landscapes, and from ramblers to surfers, our scenic environment attracts millions of visitors every year.
“We can’t let litter louts put our reputation at risk, and putting a stop to litter is a vital part of our ambition to become the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than we found it.
“In places of heavy pedestrian traffic or in litter hot-spots, we want to make sure there’s a bin close by, so there’s no excuse to leave rubbish behind.”
Another 25 litter hot-spots shall also be identified on the transport network so that fines can be increased to prevent people using those areas to dump refuse.
Those who litter could be fined up to £150.
