Fly-tipping puts wildlife and visitors at risk and can pollute land and water courses. The two most significant dumps have included glass, tin cans, and plastic. Cleaning it up diverts money and effort from essential work on the Forest.
Head of Countryside Ash Walmsley said: “It is so disappointing to see this type of anti-social behaviour on the Forest when domestic and
commercial rubbish can be safely disposed of at local authority waste recycling sites. Broken glass, sharp metal, and chemicals can cause serious injury to wildlife and this thoughtless and dangerous dumping detracts from the hard work being done by our staff and volunteers to protect this rare and cherished landscape.”
Recent high profile cases including Hoads Wood in Kent – a Site of Special Scientific Interest which was the scene of fly-tipping on an industrial scale – have highlighted the growing illegal practice of dumping without a licence. Unsuspecting businesses and homeowners can be duped into paying unlicenced contractors to remove waste which is then dumped in rural locations.
Beth Morgan, Head of Engagement and Development at Ashdown Forest said: “We would ask everybody to please ensure that you use a licenced waste carrier. It is easy to check that they are registered by initially asking for their registration number and then checking this with the public register. If they are unregistered or they have given you a false reference, there is a chance that your rubbish will be fly tipped and could end up somewhere like Ashdown Forest.”
Wealden District Council offers this advice on checking waste contractors: “Check the Environment Agency’s Register of Waste Carriers or by calling 03708 506 506. • Ask to see their Waste Carrier’s Licence, this will usually be an A4 sheet of paper or a credit card licence and will have the Environment Agency logo on it. If your waste is found fly tipped and you are unable to show that you took reasonable steps to prevent someone else dumping your waste unlawfully we may take action against YOU. You could receive a significant fine and a criminal record if we take you to court. Alternatively we may issue you with a £200 Fixed Penalty Notice payable within 14 days”.
Beth added: “Fly-tipping is a criminal offence, with an unlimited fine and up to five years in prison. We are asking all our visitors to keep an eye out for fly-tipping and if they spot it happening and it is safe to do so, to note any vehicle registration plate details and the location of the fly tip which we can then report to the police. Ashdown Forest is a very special place, and we need to work together protect it.”
Editor’s Note: It’s disappointing to note that, despite a consultation in which 91% of residents responded “not wanted” Wealden District Council have decided to proceed with an unnecessary booking system at the Maresfield Recycling Facility. Surely this will only lead to more fly-tipping as irresponsible parties are unlikely to be bothered with booking and providing their details. If this is a prelude to restricting access and introducing charges, our own council is going to make this situation far worse in the future.
