Cheshire West and Chester Council is appealing to the public for help in identifying a fly-tipper who was caught on camera dumping a trailer full of waste on Stanney Mill Road in Ellesmere Port last October. The CCTV footage shows a man parking a white van with a trailer at 12:04 pm on Halloween, and the waste found in the location included a large pile of straw and hay.
The council is cracking down on illegal dumping of waste and has installed mobile CCTV cameras at well-known hotspots around the borough to capture offenders in the act. The use of such cameras led to the identification of the fly-tipper in question.
Deputy leader and cabinet member for environment, Councillor Karen Shore, has called on the public to help identify the culprit. “The face of this individual is very clear, so please get in touch with us if you recognise him. The message is clear – fly-tippers beware! We are watching and will do all we can to track you down, and make sure you pay for what you have done. There is no excuse for fly-tipping at all, it costs money to clear away and affects our communities, as well as potentially local wildlife. We will take any steps necessary to find and prosecute offenders, including using CCTV.”
The council’s appeal has also prompted a warning to residents not to use the services of illegal waste carriers who often target people on social media. Unlicensed carriers often simply dump the waste along country lanes or in alleyways, leaving the bill for removal and disposal with either the local authority or the landowner if it is on private land.
The council’s public protection service will look for any evidence they can find in fly-tips, and any householder or small businesses found to be using rogue traders to dispose of their waste can be prosecuted. “Please check anyone disposing of waste for you is a licensed waste carrier – always be wary if you are approached by an individual to take your rubbish away,” added Cllr Shore.