The Countryside Alliance are launching National Fly-tipping Awareness Week, beginning on the 23rd April. Mark Garnier, Conservative Parliamentary Spokesman for Wyre Forest, has added his support to this important campaign. The Countryside Alliance has uncovered 2.5 million incidents of unlawful dumping across the UK in the year April 2006 at a cost to local authorities of nearly £100 million. Unbelievably, fewer than 100 cases led to a successful prosecution.
Regionally, 77,000 incidents across the West Midlands has resulted in costs of £4 million. Worcestershire's share of this outrage is £260,000 and Wyre Forest has seen 877 incidents at a cost of £23,064.
Mark Garnier commented:
"Fly tipping is probably the most offensive of all dumping as it is both deliberate and a major nuisance. The cost of clearing up the mess is staggering and it is a cost that comes directly out of the tax payer's pocket.
"I am proud to add my support to the Countryside Alliance campaign. Locally, Conservatives have been highlighting the problems with litter in Kidderminster, but fly-tipping is a much more serious issue.
"This is an issue that we must all work together on. Communities must come together to shame fly-tippers and to report to the police all instances when people are caught red-handed."