A WEST Devon man has hit out at the ?multi-layered? system of dealing with fly-tippers, following an incident near his home.
Chris George lives on Roborough Down and said fly-tipping had become a regular occurrence in the area: ?Roborough Down is an alternative landfill for Plymouth.?
Mr George said dumped, torched cars were a common occurrence in the area. The most recent incident involved a three-piece suite and a collection of black rubbish bags.
However, on this occasion, included with the rubbish was a CV which detailed a name, address and contact details.
Mr George reported the incident to Dartmoor National Park Authority and the Environment Agency. He was assured by the DNPA that a photo of the rubbish would be taken for evidence but he has since found that the rubbish was finally taken by West Devon Borough Council ? and it appears no photographic evidence was taken.
Mr George said: ?That?s what makes it even more galling, when you find something with evidence, but you can?t get anywhere with getting redress.?
Mr George said everyone he spoke to in connection with the incident was ?very pleasant? but there did not seem to be a direct system to deal with fly-tipping.
?I?m not angry with these people individually, but there seem to be many layers and no easy way to get action. They seem to be like many organisations that are loaded with procedures,? said Mr George.
A spokesperson for Dartmoor National Park Authority said fly-tipping was an ongoing problem and people finding rubbish dumped on the moor should, in the first instance, phone the Environment Agency?s hotline on 0800 80 70 60.
She said in this case, evidence to incriminate anyone involved in fly-tipping would have been passed to the Environment Agency by the Dartmoor ranger for the area.
?I?m sure the Environment Agency will be looking into this but it?s up to them to take it forward ? they are the body to take on prosecutions,? she said.
A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: ?There are various authorities involved in fly-tipping.
?We tend to investigate the more serious kind, local authorities tend to deal with the more routine kind and the landowner is responsible for clearing up the rubbish if it?s on private land. If it?s on public land, the local authority is there to pick it up ? we are there to try and catch or deter anyone from doing it.?
The spokesman said in this case, the person named at the scene had been contacted by the EA but had moved away and as the rubbish had already been disposed of, it was unlikely a prosecution would follow.
He warned the public always to use the hotline to alert the EA of incidents of fly-tipping ?as soon as possible? and to check the credentials of anyone offering to dispose of rubbish.