Working together to tackle fly-tipping in Hertsmere

In line with local policing priorities, officers from Hertsmere have been working in partnership with environmental health colleagues to tackle fly-tipping in Bushey and Radlett.

Over the past three months, officers from the Safer Neighbourhood Team have been conducting joint patrols with the environmental crime officer from Hertsmere Borough Council.

These patrols have targeted fly-tipping hotspots to identify any recent incidents and search for evidence which may identify people involved.

Work has also been undertaken to identify any potential sites at risk of fly-tipping and put prevention measures in place.

Alongside this, roadside operations and dedicated patrols have been carried out to check waste carrier licenses.

A number of warnings and fines have been issued as a result and recently, a van involved in collecting scrap metal was seized for having no tax, no insurance, no waste carriers’ licence and no scrap licence.

PC Michael Morris, from the police Safer Neighbourhood Team said: “Fly-tipping is not only an eyesore but is also hazardous to health. It can cause unpleasant smells, attract pests and create a dangerous environment for children, road users and wildlife. There is also a great cost to the tax payer to get fly-tipping removed.

“I hope these dedicated patrols and operations reassure people that we are working closely with our partners at the council to tackle the issue and identify those involved. We will continue to do all we can to deter offenders and keep Hertsmere safe.”

Cllr Christian Gray, Portfolio Holder for Communities, Neighbourhoods, Enforcement, Economic Development and Transformation, said: “Fly-tipping is a blight on our communities. We are working hard with the police, landowners and other partners to tackle this. This joint operation is a great example of that.

“Fly-tipping, which can be anything from a single bag to an entire truck load of rubbish, not only causes harm to the environment, it diverts valuable resources from the delivery of frontline services.

“Everyone has a duty of care to ensure their household waste is disposed of correctly. Remember, if it's your waste, it's your responsibility. Our advice is always get a receipt for any waste that you ask to be disposed of and check that the person doing the disposing has a waste carrier's licence. If in doubt give our Environmental Health team a call on 020 8207 2277.

“Residents can help us by reporting incidents of fly-tipping to the council. Any information will be treated in strict confidence.”

If you witness fly-tipping in progress, please call police on 999 straight away.