Ministers announce £400 fine for flytipping homeowners
1 min read
Householders who illegally dump rubbish face fines of £400 under new government rules.
The move is an attempt to clamp down on people using unlicensed companies to get rid of their waste, rather than a more expensive licensed operator.
Environment minister Therese Coffey criticised councils, saying "only about half" were actively trying to deal with the problem.
She said the fines would help "stamp out an antisocial crime that blighted the countryside and our streets".
But one of her Tory colleagues, Hornchurch and Upminster MP Julia Lopez, suggested there may need to be more action to tackle the issue.
She said well-organised criminal groups were cashing in on households who want to cut corners on getting rid of rubbish.
"hose gangs use false plates and stolen trucks, so traditional means of combating fly-tipping, such as CCTV, are not effective," Ms Lopez told the Daily Mail.
"Increased penalties might help, but we may well need to go further.”
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