Fly-tipping fines in Fife more than double in bid to tackle long-standing problem

Previously, anyone caught dumping waste illegally could be fined £200, but the new legislation sees that penalty increase to £500.

The penalties came into effect from January 1 and will be managed by Fife Council as part of the Scottish Government’s six-year litter and fly-tipping strategy, which sets out how national and local government, business, the third sector, communities and individuals can work together to strengthen enforcement.

Other key measures proposed include the introduction of new powers to impose a fine on the registered keeper of a vehicle from which a littering offence is committed, and a new national online litter hub to provide information, advice and support to community groups and other relevant local organisations on tackling litter and littering behaviour.

The new legislation also build on the success of Fife’s own environmental vandalism strategy - a mix of prevention and enforcement measures approved last February - and the launch of the region’s free bulky uplift scheme which has led to a noticeable drop in fly-tipping reports.

Councillor Jan Wincott, spokesperson for environment and climate change, said: “There are no excuses for littering and fly-tipping, which are a blight on our streets, communities and countryside, with the cost of cleaning up often borne by individuals and the public sector.

“Every year, millions of items are dropped as litter and tonnes of material is fly-tipped in Scotland, with at least £60 million of public money spent annually to clean it up - money that could be better spent on other services. On top of this, litter and fly-tipping prevention can ‘close the loop’ in a circular economy. We have to recognise that everything we use and throw away is a resource which has a value, a value that we should preserve, capture, and use again wherever possible.”

Nigel Kerr, head of protective services, added: “Fly-tipping, or illegal dumping, creates eyesores on our beaches, in our woods, in fields and on the side of our roads, so these new powers have to be welcomed.We know that most people want to take pride in their local area and that to be successful the council needs the support of local people, who are our eyes and ears in the community.

“This is why we’re asking Fifers to help stop fly-tipping by reporting it, and urging local people to check that waste carriers disposing of waste on their behalf have a SEPA licence.”