Previously, I would have said that fly tippers were simply scummy people who did not care about the environment or community. Having been to our local tip this morning, I now understand why people fly tip and I think we are going to see astronomical levels of it.
I went to the tip to dispose of a 10yo computer and monitor, some assorted metal bits and pieces (mainly from broken stuff, but I was trying to keep the metal out of landfill to, you know, save the environment) and a sheet of wood which we used to use as a dog guard. Nothing difficult, standard stuff that people dispose of.
Our tip is open under "emergency" usage. This has been the case since covid. Apparently residents are supposed to just "store" their litter and only visit the tip if they can't. Well, we were tripping over this stuff on our narrow landing and with kids, dog and us so I decided to tip it.
I queued for 90 mins. Upon entering the hallowed gates, you are interrogated by the Gestapo. You are directed to a bay in which you must park, regardless of what kind of stuff you have to dump and the relevant bin being at the other end of the tip. Several of the bins are pay bins, ferociously guarded. A woman stepped out of a line to recycle some plastic and was screamed at.
The asbestos bin is a pay bin, along with about 6 others. Council, you fucking idiots. People are bagging asbestos up and dumping it in the free "non recyclable" bin. In fact, anything that belongs in a pay bin is being bagged up and dumped in non recyclable. Not by me, but it's pretty bloody obvious what's going on. The pay bins look so clean and empty. The tip opens short hours and is closed Weds and Thurs. 17,000 people live in the catchment area of this tip.
Our landfill bins are collected fortnightly and woe betide anyone who has their bin open even a bloody crack. Our recycling is supposed to be weekly but they often leave behind one category, which we are again instructed to "store".
This is what happens when councils hand over a functioning council tip to a private company who cut costs in any way they can. Closures, hour cuts, pay bins.
This is an area with a lot of woodland around. People go to the woods at night and tip the contents of their vehicle out into the woods. Now I know why and I don't even think they are particularly bad people. I think they are people who are doing it out of necessity as there is no reasonable way to get rid of their litter. I was out for a total of 2 hours. Who can afford to waste time like that? I needed the bloody toilet and got pins and needles in my leg.
Why can't councils see why stuff is fly tipped everywhere? Ours is whining about spending record amounts to clean it up. Erm...do you not see cause and effect?
End of rant