An important new project has been launched to assess the scale of fly-tipping, especially on private farmland and woodland in East Hampshire
More than 70 stakeholders attended the launch of the project which will see the NFU working with CPRE, CLA, East Hampshire District Council and Environment Agency.
The project, launched at East Meon, will gather information with the aim of finding better ways of preventing and dealing with the problem in the long-term.
Landowners, farmers, local government representatives are working together with volunteers from CPRE Hampshire on this year-long pilot scheme which has received funding from the South Downs Sustainable Development Fund. If successful, it is planned that the findings will inform a wider project planned for the county of Hampshire.
The pilot project, to be run in 12 parishes to begin with, will trial a number of new approaches:-
- using volunteer reporters (“Fly-spotters”) who will be the eyes and ears of the local community;
- testing out different ways of reporting fly-tipping;
- looking at the problem on farmland as well as on public land; and
- bringing together the work of the District Council and Environment Agency to assist and advise farmers and land managers with investigations and how to cope with the problem.
NFU South East regional director William White said: “Anyone living and working in the countryside cannot fail to have noticed how much more fly-tipping and litter dropping is going on around them. This project aims to harness the power of the people on the ground to report fly-tipping incidents so that we can prove categorically there is a lot more to be done to tackle this growing societal problem.”
CLA's Ben Underwood said: “Cleaning up waste, particularly hazardous materials such as asbestos, costs landowners thousands of pounds each year. Until we have figures indicating the fly-tipping incidents on all land - private and public - the true scale of fly-tipping will never be ascertained and the necessary resources to deal with the problem will never be allocated.”
An easy-to-use website reporting system has been set up by East Hampshire District Council for use by registered volunteers. Printed post-cards are also available from CPRE Hampshire.
If you would like to register as a ‘Fly-spotter’ and report any fly-tips that you see when you are out and about, in the first instance email info@cprehampshire.org.uk or telephone Becky French, CPRE Hampshire on 01962 779185
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