Northants litter volunteers say they've collected millions in rubbish
It comes as 'waste crime' is reportedly costing the taxpayer around £1 billion a year.
'Waste crime’ has been described as ‘the new narcotics’ for criminal gangs. A new report says the groups can make hundreds of thousands of pounds from illegally dumping rubbish into our woods and waterways.
It’s thought around a fifth of all waste produced in this country is illegally managed in some way - costing the taxpayer around £1 billion a year.
Sam Corp from the Environmental Services Association says current laws not enough of a deterrent:
"What we are seeing is actually more and more evidence of serious organised criminal gangs operating in the waste sector, because it's such a low risk high reward activity, and even if they do get caught the penalties are far too low and they are not enough of a deterrent."
We've been speaking to a volunteer with Northants Litter Wombles about the issue. They run many litter picks with groups across the county including in Northampton, Daventry, Wellingborough and Corby.
"We need a national clampdown or things will get worse"
Mark Watson says they've saved National Highways millions over the past few years with their volunteer work:
"We've picked about 130,000 purple bags in four years, and our National Highways tell us it costs them £50 a bag to pick up litter, so by my reckoning we've saved them about £6 million in four years."
Mark says they're doing their bit and want to see councils enforce fly-tipping rules more often:
"I'm not just singling out West or North Northants Councils, we need a a national clampdown properly resourced, it's the only way or it's only going to get worse."
He says he knows the local enforcement teams and says they work had, but it's a difficult balance with where strapped councils can spend their cash.
Mark suggests neighbouring councils efforts to deter fly-tippers which he feels could work well in Northamptonshire:
"They do things like cease their fly-tippers cars, crush them and display them."
What powers do councils have?
In West and North Northants the councils have the power to issue on-the-spot fines for fly-tipping, and to seize vehicles which have been used in fly-tipping.
The Fixed Penalty Notice for fly-tipping is currently £1,000.
In the most serious cases this can result in a sentence of up to 5 years imprisonment and an unlimited fine given by a court.