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Grot Spot Britain: The sheer scale of a fly-tipping epidemic

by Ian Shires on 14 February, 2017

An ITV News investigation has revealed fly-tipping is on the rise in some parts of the UK.

Out of 264 councils that responded to a Freedom of Information request, Haringey in London topped a list of 20 councils with the highest number of reports, with almost 40,000.

The programme went on to show the extent of the issue and showed a number of the worst Grot Spots around the country.

The point being made was that this was becoming an epidemic and whatever was being put forward as to who was to blame there is no excuse for people to treat their local area as their dustbin. It costs around £100 per tonne to remove and dispose of.

Here in Walsall that means that hundreds of thousands of pounds are being diverted away from essential services such as social care. All this has a knock on effect on our already hard pressed NHS and all because a growing number of people couldn’t care less about where they live.

There was some good news coming out of all this. The researchers to the programme came across a number of groups who were helping to clean up their neighbourhood some doing litter picks others forming patrols to report fly tipping and those doing it.

And I’m pleased to say that in our own area here in north Willenhall there are groups forming to help tidy up. Groups like the one which regularly have been helping to clear litter and worse from Rough Wood, and recently a group of residents have joined together to do a regular weekly tidy up on the Wood Lane Estate in Short Heath. These groups work closely together with the Council’s Clean and Green Team in the area to arrange bags, pickers and collection of the fruits of their labour.

It’s really good to see people getting involved like this, I’m sure there are others across our area doing similar good work and they all deserve a big thank you for their efforts. If you are interested in setting up something similar in the Willenhall area then let us know. We will help get you linked to Clean and Green and get you kitted out ready to do your bit in keeping Willenhall tidy.

 

   2 Comments

2 Responses

  1. Sharon Pointon says:

    Hi, Ian.

    I live in South Willenhall (Victoria Street) and would like to set up something similar over here.

    Regards

    Sharon Pointon

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