RESIDENTS in West Devon have this week voiced concerns that additional charges at county recycling centres could mean an increase in unsightly fly-tipping.

From April 1 Devon County Council will charge £2 per bag of soil/rubble, which could contain brick, block, stone, tiles, paving slabs, concrete posts or sanitary ware for example; £2 per tyre; £7 per bag, or sheet, of plasterboard; £20 per bag, or sheet, of asbestos.

Plasterboards are not accepted at some Devon council recycling centres and asbestos is only accepted at Okehampton and Tavistock if it is double wrapped/bagged in strong plastic and pre-booked.

Tavistock resident Brian Bradley said: 'There is little doubt that the result will be an increase in fly-tipping. Devon Council probably think they will gain financially but any money is bound to be soaked up by administration of the scheme.

'The council should be encouraging people to use recycling centres, not penalising them.

'Fly-tipping is the responsibility of the Environment Agency so it's not the council's problem.

'Be prepared for every green lane and beauty spot to be spoilt by piles of rubbish, just in time for the summer tourists to arrive!'

Devon County Council recycled 51.6% of household waste in 2008/09, and is aiming to increase Devon's recycling and composting rate to 53% by 2010, 60% by 2015 and 65% by 2025.

Mike Bomford, a spokesman for the council said: 'The overall cost of operating recycling centres and recycling the collected waste is cheaper than landfilling the waste. This cost saving is set to increase over coming years as landfill costs continue to rise.'

However, there are worries that these charges will not mean only more illegal fly-tipping but that many small businesses will be forced to pass on these charges to their customers.

Dave French, a tree surgeon from Peter Tavy, said that he was told by staff at the Biffa Waste Services tip at Haye Down that from April 1 he would not be able to bring his tree waste as his twin axle 13ft trailer was not permitted — it had to be under 10ft. It would mean either longer journeys to a tip that would accept his trailer or using a smaller trailer and making more trips.

Mr French said: 'I'm sure you will see far more fly tipping. There will also be a lot of people who won't know about these charges until they arrive at the recycling centre, they haven't been well publicised.'

'I actually feel sorry for the staff at the waste tips, who will get a lot of grief because they will have to face the public — unlike the councillors and officers who brought these charges in.'

Tavistock town and West Devon borough councillor Ted Sherrell said: 'To make such charges is both unfair and foolish.

'It's unfair because those who obey the rules will be paying extra for a service which should clearly be covered by the high council tax paid by us all; and foolish, because sadly it can only lead to fly-tipping which is unsightly, sometimes dangerous and which, ultimately, will have to be removed by the authorities at considerable expense.'

Mike Bomford added: 'Devon County Council has to make savings of £54.6 million in response to Government spending reductions.

'Our recycling centres will continue to take household waste, which we're obliged to do, but we will no longer pay to handle the non-household waste that we're not obliged to take.

'Last year, the council spent over £1 million of council tax payers' money to take waste that it does not have to take, but rather than not accept that waste in future, we're asking the people disposing of it to meet the cost of handling it themselves. The council will not profit from these charges.

'We have spoken to other councils that already charge, and they saw no significant increase in flytipping.

'We will monitor the situation closely with district councils and will review how it's going.'

He said fly-tipping was a criminal offence and would not be tolerated.

'Fly-tippers can be fined up to £50,000 in magistrates' courts, face unlimited fines in higher courts, as well as community punishment orders or prison sentences of up to five years.'