Falkirk councillor says residents need educated about fly-tipping

Following a survey and site visits to areas plagued with the problem, elected members feel they need to warn the community about the legal implications – and to take responsibility for their litter.

At a meeting of the scrutiny committee, Councillor Niall Coleman said: “We still need to educate our residents on the legal issues behind fly-tipping.

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“Perhaps there are members of the public who are not aware that dropping cigarette butts is a criminal offence.

“I think we need to make sure they know so they can do the right thing. This is the law.

“Fly-tipping is noticeable and costs money to uplift. It is not the council’s responsibility.”

Councillors heard from representatives from other local authorities in steps they had taken to tackle the 
problem.

West Lothian use the Fix My Street app to allow 
concerned members of the community to log any problems, while North Ayrshire issue fines but also rely on volunteers to help with clean up operations of beaches and other beauty spots.

The spokesman for North Ayrshire continued: “In just over a year the number of volunteers has snowballed. It’s about community engagement.”

Fiona Campbell, Falkirk Council’s head of policy, said: “We need to make sure people take responsibility for their waste.”