A new campaign to raise awareness of fly tipping and residents’ duty of care has been launched.

Blaby District Council’s Environmental Health team has teamed up with the Leicestershire Enforcement Forum to educate people about the correct disposal of waste, deter people from giving waste to unauthorised brokers and the penalties associated with offences.

On Tuesday October 22 the team will be in Leicester City Centre from 11am – 2pm running an interactive quiz and giving people the chance to win a mountain bike.

Councillor Guy Jackson, portfolio holder for Neighbourhood and Environmental Services, said:

“Last financial year Blaby District Council removed and cleared 252 incidents of fly tipping at a cost of over £18,000.

“As it is the residents’ responsibility to dispose of their waste correctly, if a third party disposes of waste on your behalf, make sure they are a registered waste carrier. Always get a receipt confirming what they have taken, where they intend to dispose of it and details of any payment made. If any waste is traced back to the household where it came from the householder could be fined.”

Fly tipping is the illegal deposit of any waste on to land that has no licence to accept it. It can be dangerous and can ruin the appearance of an area.

Waste includes fridges, freezers, mattresses, garden waste, commercial waste i.e. builders rubble, tyres, clinical waste, and can appear on grass verges, farm gateways, private land, and public open spaces.

The Council offers a special collection service for the removal of some of these items, or alternatively they can be taken to Whetstone Tip. (Closed for major re-development work 14th-18th October 2013)

For more information or to report a case of fly tipping visit www.blaby.gov.uk , email env.health@blaby.gov.uk or call 0116 272 7555