Officers from Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council have revealed significant successes in their crack-down against fly-tippers over recent months.
Since the start of April this year, 11 separate Fixed Penalty Notices (£400 fines) have been issued to those responsible for dumping rubbish in green areas and public spaces.
These enforcement actions have taken place right across the ABC Borough in both urban and rural areas, with five Fixed Penalty Notices issued in Portadown, two in Armagh, two in Lurgan, two in Craigavon and one in Keady.
A spokesperson for ABC Council said one offender who dumped waste outside a recycling centre in Keady when it was closed and failed to pay the Fixed Penalty Fine was later taken to court and fined £500 plus costs.
The spokesperson said: “A further five people who failed to respond to notices issued in relation to fly-tipping offences were fined in court with the fines ranging from £150 to £300 plus costs.
“There is no reason why anyone would have to fly-tip waste as the council provides a collection service for bulk waste items such as white goods, furniture etc.
“We would also urge anyone who does not have the appropriate wheeled bins for their waste to contact their landlord where appropriate or contact the Environmental Services Department within council.”
The spokesperson added: “Fly-tipping is damaging to the climate, the environment and local wildlife and our Environmental Health officers are determined to continue our zero- tolerance approach, by pursuing all those responsible for fly-tipping and issuing these very significant fines.”
Members of the public can also help in the fight against fly-tipping, by reporting incidents via the ABC Council App which is available to download on the App store and Google Play store, or by calling the Council’s Environmental Health team directly on 0300 0300 900.
