As the May Bank Holiday approaches - a busy time for work on houses and gardens - the CLA warns of the danger of ‘cowboy’ fly-tippers, and called for the public to think twice before accepting offers from strangers claiming they can cheaply dispose of waste materials.

CLA President William Worsley said: “Householders or builders with waste to dispose of can be tempted by people offering to do the job for cash in hand.

“These cowboys often take the waste and illegally dump it on private land rather than disposing of it legally. While fly-tipping is a major problem for farmers and land managers all year round, the May Bank Holidays have been traditionally particularly bad.”

“The owners of the land where waste is dumped have to remove it themselves, often at considerable cost. If this isn’t done quickly, more fly-tipping often takes place and the pile grows and grows. We are asking everyone with waste to dispose of it properly and legally. Many landowners are afraid of reporting fly-tipping incidents for fear of being fined or incurring heavy costs when they have done absolutely nothing wrong.”

The CLA has long campaigned for action over the blight of fly-tipping and has launched a three-point plan, calling for Government to:

• ENSURE local authorities accept fly-tipped waste at local tips easily and without charge to landowners.
• STOP prosecution of landowners who have waste materials – particularly hazardous waste such as asbestos – dumped on their land and have to foot the bill for removing it.
• CREATE the right policy framework for local authorities to work with police forces and other bodies on a zero-tolerance approach to the perpetrators of environmental crime.

Douglas Chalmers, Director CLA North said, “We will continue to press Defra and the Environment Agency to end this unfair treatment of land and property owners, but I would add a further call to everyone else.

“If you are about to commence building or landscaping work at home, please check how your contractor is disposing of any waste. Don’t try to turn a blind eye as this material has to come from somewhere and it could be traced back to you.

“How would you feel if someone tipped waste, perhaps hazardous to your family, on your property, and when you asked for help from the council they told you that you were responsible, and you would have to pay.

“That’s what affected landowners currently face, and it simply isn’t right.”