Residents in West Bromwich have criticised their local council, claiming that fly-tipping has turned their town into a 'slum'. Piles of rubbish have been stacked up on the side of a road, with locals saying fly-tippers have shown a 'total disregard' for the area.
The mess is located by Water Lane and Wigmore Lane, where residents and motorists have to pass it every day. One resident captured the rubbish on camera and shared it on social media, describing it as a "total disregard for locals who have to walk/drive past this" and suggesting that it is time the council started adding cameras to lamp posts to combat the issue.
Residents express frustration
Another resident commented: “I noticed a sofa dumped in the riding stables entrance yesterday as we drove past. Its disgusting we never used to have it looking like a 'slum' like this.”
Council responds to fly-tipping
Councillor Bob Jones, Sandwell Council's Cabinet Member for Environment and Enforcement, said: "Sandwell is demonstrating that one by one we will start turning the tide against fly-tippers."
"We will not shy away from taking legal action against those who blight our neighbourhoods through fly-tipping. If people ignore Fixed Penalty Notices, fail to engage with the legal process or refuse to take responsibility for their actions, we will continue to pursue them through the courts."
"We have already identified a number of individuals through evidence recovered from fly-tipped waste and a range of investigations are continuing. We are determined to hold those responsible to account and show the rest of the country how serious we are about tackling this issue."
How to report waste crimes
Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of household, commercial, or industrial waste on a small scale. To report the crime, residents can contact the environmental health team at their local council.
For larger-scale incidents, such as a lorryload or more of tipped or buried rubbish, hazardous or industrial waste, or organised criminal waste operations, the Environment Agency can be called on 08000 80 70 60. Large-scale waste dumping can also be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers online or on 0800 555 111.
