Dr Brian May’s Save Me Trust
PRESS RELEASE
June 2018
Fly Tipping – A National Disgrace
Save Me Trust has recently experienced first hand the devastating impact of illegal fly tipping epidemic that is sweeping the UK.
Over one million fly tipping incidents were reported in 2017 – and no doubt many more incidents went unreported – costing taxpayers a staggering £58 million in clean up costs alone. What a terrible inditement on each of us in Britain!
There is no excuse formally tipping. We all need to take responsibility for our own waste by minimising the amount and then ensuring it is disposed of correctly. Looking at the data published by the Government in October 2017 is shocking – over 490,000 fly tipping incidents on our roads and highways alone – most the size of the average car boot or small van – why? What makes people think it’s OK to dump rubbish on the road?
Some people seem to think dumping rubbish on someone else is OK? It doesn’t matter to them if it’s the side of a road, a park, nature area or a farmers field. How can they ever think that their action is OK?
Your old fridge contains chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that damage the ozone layer, while others are extremely potent greenhouse gases. In fact, just one kilogram of the refrigerant R410a has the same greenhouse impact as two tonnes of carbon dioxide, which is the equivalent of running your car for six months.
That old fridge could have been collected by the supplier of your new fridge or by a specialist company for around £60 but now it will sit rusting a discharging chemicals into the soil and potentially the waterways – maybe for years before its discovered – it may cause sickness and suffering to wildlife, farmed animals or horses and will cost taxpayers – yes that’s you and me – around £150 to be taken away a safely recycled.
Save Me is now facing a bill of around £20,000 to clear up other peoples mess that was dumped on our land. As a registered charity we would have been spent that protecting wild animals here in the UK. We share the frustrations of landowners and farmers all over the UK who are faced with the distress of having other peoples waste dumped on your land, the damage to the local environment, wildlife or farm animals, the stress of dealing with the situation and the cost of ensuring the safe removal of the waste.
We think its time for everyone to take responsibility for their own waste – firstly by minimising it and then by ensuring that it is recycled or destroyed safely.