On Monday 15th July 2019 Hampshire Horsewatch attended the quarterly meeting of the County's Intelligence Fly Tipping Working Group headed up by Hampshire County Council with representatives from the local and unitary authorities and other organisations who have a vested interest in supporting and protecting local communities from this social menace.
Fly Tipping ranging from incidents on a commercial scale to dropping litter from a car, on a pavement is a criminal offence.
Enforcement Officers within Local Authorities and other agencies work tirelessly to prevent, investigate, gather evidence and where necessary and appropriate prosecute offenders who Fly Tip or generally drop litter. Penalties are wide ranging and can result in offenders being taken to court or being served Fixed Penalty Notices.
Fly Tipping, littering is most definitely a social menace and sits alongside drink/drug driving and using a hand held device whilst driving amongst others!
Community help is needed to report incidents of Fly Tipping, littering. Not only that but information is needed to help identify those who Fly Tip by littering streets, country lanes, public and private property.
To assist combatting Fly Tipping and littering a new App has been developed. This App is called ClearWaste. The web site is ClearWaste.com. Mr Martin Montague the Founder of ClearWaste gave a presentation to the Working Group about his innovative App and its aims and objectives. ClearWaste is privately funded.
ClearWaste is a FREE and easy to use App and has at this time three core elements.
1. It can be used for reporting Fly Tipping.
2. It is a price comparison service for customers to select
a licensed removal service.
3. It offers a community recycling service.
Rather than repeat the information on the App and web site log on and see what ClearWaste has to offer. The service offered by the App and web site is national and not just for Hampshire.
Reporting Fly Tipping has never been made easier. By logging onto ClearWaste App you can report, upload photos, video of the incident. Your report is automatically sent to the relevant Local Authority. This means that you no longer have to phone into your Local Authority to report the incident.
As in all cases if there is an identified public endangerment through Fly Tipping i.e. a road is blocked, waste appears to be a hazard then dial 101 or in the case of a threat to life or property dial 999.
In all cases dealing with Fly Tipping falls into two categories.
1. Fly Tipping on public property.
2.Fly Tipping on private property.
Local Authorities will deal with the removal of Fly Tipping in public spaces but the private landowner is responsible for removing Fly Tipped material on their land.
Fly Tipping, littering on public land will cost YOU money as funds to remove rubbish comes from the public purse to which YOU pay through taxes or if a land owner from your own pocket!
For the private land owner it is a double whammy.......they pay twice because of taxes they have to pay to the Local Authority and then from their own pocket again!
Money spent clearing Fly Tipping materials can be better spent on other community needs which YOU may need.
Hampshire Horsewatch is supportive of the App and web site as it is aimed to help the individual to help the community.
Horse riders are ideally placed to identify locations where Fly Tipping takes place as they may come across such incidents on their rides. If they do then, if safe to do so, they can go onto the App and make an instant report.
Both the App and web site although live and functioning are still being reviewed with work in progress on developmental ideas.
If you have any suggestions as how to improve the App and web site please forward them to enquiries@ hampshirehorsewatch.co.uk. We can then forward your ideas and suggestions to ClearWaste.
As always if you have information about Fly Tippers, habitual litterers but want to remain anonymous you can always phone
Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111. Information can be collated and forwarded to the relevant authority.
