A man named Callum Smith is set to appear before Warwickshire’s magistrates’ court on March 3rd after being charged with depositing controlled or extractive waste on land without an environmental permit, following an investigation into fly-tipping at a farm in Warwickshire.
In September, video footage of waste being dumped in Ansley, Warwickshire, was shared online. The video shows a white van with piles of rubbish near the back of the vehicle, and the driver quickly driving off when spotted, with the van’s doors still flapping open, revealing household waste inside.
Edward Goadby, a local farmer, witnessed the incident and reported it to the police. He said that he saw the van parked on the corner with doors wide open while driving home from a night out with a friend. He then put all the lights on and saw that the two men had unloaded furniture onto the verge.
He phoned the police to report what he saw, but they said they couldn’t do anything at the time as there were no police officers around. He also mentioned that fly-tipping happens frequently in the area, and it’s rare to catch those responsible.
“It happens a lot but it’s rare we actually catch them. I’ve seen it at least three times a year on that one lane,” Goadby said. “There’s another heap of rubbish fly-tipped in the next village. It’s just absolutely disgusting really. It’s shocking it has to happen around here. At least this video shows what people are doing, because nobody ever sees this sort of stuff.”
A police spokesperson confirmed they were aware of the Twitter video but wouldn’t comment any further.
Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of waste in places such as roadsides, footpaths, and countryside. It’s a serious environmental crime that can have significant impacts on public health, wildlife, and the environment. Those caught face hefty fines and even imprisonment.
Incidents like this highlight the need for greater awareness and enforcement of environmental regulations to tackle fly-tipping and protect our environment.