WEST Devon Borough Council has welcomed government plans to raise fines for those who blot the landscape with fly tipping. 

The Secretary of State has increased penalties, with a minimum fine of £150, up to a maximum of £400 for fly tipping. In West Devon, this is an increase of £75 on the minimum fine payable. Last year alone, illegal fly tipping cost council tax payers£9,260.09.

As well as spoiling the countryside, fly-tipping is illegal, bad for the environment and often a health hazard to people and animals. 

West Devon Borough Council’s Lead Member for Commercial Services, Cllr, Robert Sampson, said: ’As a council, we welcome the increase in fines for fly tipping.  We take this issue very seriously and we are determined to catch and prosecute those responsible.’

Household waste, including DIY material and electrical goods such as fridges, accounts for half of all fly tipped rubbish. West Devon Borough Council encourages householders to dispose of waste responsibly through reducing, reusing, recycling and composting waste, where possible. 

You can dispose of your waste in a number of ways. Household refuse and recycling should be placed out for collection the evening before, or by 7.30am on the morning of, your collection.

 ‘Bulky’ items and larger items of household waste can be disposed of in two ways:-

You can take these items to your closest household waste recycling centre. These are run by Devon County Council. For further information contact the council on 0345 1551010. Alternatively you can arrange for a bulky household waste collection. This service is operated by the council’s contractor, FCC Environment and a small charge is made. Visit the county council’s website for more information.

Some residents call on private contractors for removal of larger waste items. 

If you choose this option,check that the contractor has a waste carrier’s licence, ask where they are going to take your waste, pay on presentation of an invoice which shows the waste carrier’s licence number and details where your waste was disposed and ask for a receipt and keep it safe.

These checks can ensure an individual who thinks they have disposed of waste correctly is not tracked back to them and they are not liable.