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Appeal for witnesses after massive fly-tip on rural lane

Bins, Waste and Recycling
11:58, Friday, 10th June 2022

A massive fly-tip containing debris believed to be from a cannabis farm has been dumped on a farm track near Belton.

The amount of rubbish dumped is so big it has shocked council waste enforcement officers, who deal with an average of 50-60 fly-tipping reports a week.

As well as grow bags, fertiliser, heat lamps and insulation from a suspected cannabis farm, there were also cables, furniture and rotting meat packaging.

Details of the find have been reported to the police.

It is thought a tipper lorry was used to fly-tip the waste, possibly in multiple trips, leaving a pile of debris around 70m long.

Environmental Health officials are now working with the landowner to process the rubbish – after sifting through the evidence to find details they can use in a prosecution.

Both the owner of the waste and the dumper will be liable for a fine or even a court case leading to imprisonment once they are identified.

Anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area of Idle Bank, Sandtoft, near the M180 flyover, in recent weeks – or knows anything about the fly-tip – is urged to contact enforcement officers via the flytipping page of the council website.

North Lincolnshire Council leader Rob Waltham said: “I am not the only one who is horrified at the amount of rubbish that has been dumped here.

“This kind of illegal activity is obscene, and we as a council are determined to track down the perpetrators.

“There is simply no excuse for causing such a blight on our environment and I urge anyone who knows anything about how this rubbish got there to do the right thing and speak up.”

Clamping down on fly-tipping and littering, and enabling people to recycle their waste responsibility is one of the key features of the council’s A Green Futures strategy.

Residents are warned to think before giving waste to people advertising online who may be a rogue trader with a van.

Someone offering to take waste away for little cost is not likely to be licensed. Your rubbish could end up dumped in a rural area – and you will be liable for a fine.

More information about how to check if a waste carrier is registered is available on the fly-tipping section of our website.