08.07.23 – Crackdown Target Smashed on Illegal dumping in Stoke on Trent

A crackdown on illegal dumping across Stoke-on-Trent has seen a 100-day target to clear 1,000 cases smashed in less than half the time. And now councillors are urging communities: ‘work with us to keep your alleyways clean.’

In June, Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s new administration pledged to tackle the scourge of illegally dumped waste. Supported by investment through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, this pledge was backed with extra CCTV cameras that can be deployed in hotspot areas, additional clean-up crews, new enforcement officers, and two new 3.5 tonne clean-up tipper vans.

The investment and work of council teams have been backed by a high profile, zero tolerance campaign to use photos of dumped rubbish, name the streets and show where identification of the culprits has resulted in them being issued a £400 spot fine.

Over 1,000 incidents of illegal dumping have been cleared in fewer than 50 days – less than half the time pledged. The number of days from environment teams being made aware of dumped rubbish to the mess being cleared – and fines issued to culprits wherever possible – has also significantly reduced.

The number of incidents cleared equates to 689 skips full of rubbish, removed from back alleys, street fronts and community spaces right across the city. Hot spot areas where crews have spent more of their time clearing rubbish include terraced streets where there is a high density of housing, and crews have found that a high percentage of all the waste removed is in bags that people have taken out of their houses and left in alleyways without consideration of when their bin collection days are, leaving rubbish that can fester for days and cause a nuisance. They have also tackled builders’ rubble; and dumped sofas and mattresses that could either be recycled and used by charities across the city, or could have been taken by bulky waste collection teams for a £40 charge, instead of incurring a £400 penalty and blighting streets.

Council leaders have pledged to continue to tackle illegal dumpers and their rubbish, but have warned it is not possible to keep every street clear all of the time. They are calling on communities to come together and residents to continue to report people responsible for dumping waste. They can do this online at stoke.gov.uk/illegaldumping.