A NEW crackdown has been launched to combat the blight of litter and flytipping affecting communities across Bolton borough.
Plans are in place to nearly double the fines for dropping litter from £80 to £150.
And householders could be held responsible if they pay illegal waste carriers to take away waste which is then flytipped.
The crackdown also includes plans to get tough on those dumping rubbish at the roadside from cars.
Under existing rules, Bolton council enforcement teams have to prove who has dropped the litter from the car.
Now the council will issue a £150 fine to the registered owner of the vehicle from which the litter was thrown.
The new get-tough approach is part of a borough-wide effort to reduce the problems caused by littering and flytipping.
The council says it will make use of existing powers to beef up fines against those found to be littering the borough.
Hilary Fairclough, executive cabinet member for environmental regulatory services, Cllr Hilary Fairclough, said: “The vast majority of Bolton residents take pride in where they live and dispose of their litter responsibly.
“However, it only takes a small minority to spoil our borough for everyone else.
“Littering and flytipping has an impact on us all – on our health and wellbeing and how we feel about where we live.
“It just saddens me that some people just can’t make the effort to take their litter home with them or put it in a bin. It doesn’t require a big effort and just think how much nicer our streets would be if everyone did the right thing.
“For those that do continue to drop litter or flytip we hope this new set of fines will act as a significant deterrent.”
Flytipping by illegal waste carriers is a significant issue with householders often paying illegal waste carriers who advertise on social media.
Until now, it’s been difficult to prosecute householders. But now, if evidence can be found in flytipped waste, householders could face a £400 fine.
The new approach means a fixed penalty notice could be issued to the householder – rather than having to go through the courts to prosecute.
Adele Warren, executive cabinet member for environmental delivery services, added: “It’s really important that householders don’t use the services of these illegal operators which are advertising their services on social media.
“If someone is offering to take waste away for cash, stop and ask some questions before you part with any money. It’s really important to check first if people have a waste carrier's license. Ask to see it before paying anyone to take your waste away. It’s always better to use the council’s household waste recycling centres if you can to get rid of your household waste."
"The council takes all reports of flytipping seriously and will act quickly to remove waste which is reported to us. Our teams will also try to find out who is responsible and prosecute where necessary.”
Householders are required to take reasonable steps to check that people removing waste are authorised to do so. They should:
· Make a note of any vehicle being used by an operator including the registration number
· Ask for a copy of their waste license – or take a photograph of it.
· Ask for a receipt for the work - which includes the business details of a registered operator