Lewisham Council claims it is clamping down on fly-tipping and taking on a strict zero-tolerance approach to rubbish-dumping.

A spokesperson said 500 fly-tipping fines have been issued since August.

Those figures indicate a 1,600 per cent increase compared to the seven months prior.

Last year, the Council also ensured a skip company was fined £3,725 for dumping asbestos in a residential street.

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Lewisham Council launched its new environmental enforcement team in August 2021.

The Mayor of Lewisham, Damien Egan, joined enforcement and cleansing teams on a joint operation in Whitefoot this week, along with Councillor Sophie McGeevor, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport.

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On the visit, the Mayor pledged his “zero tolerance” on fly-tipping in the borough, as part of the Council’s Cleaner Lewisham campaign.

When fly tips are identified, the Council says officers quickly investigate and gather evidence to identify who is responsible, enabling them to take action.

The Council notes that alongside its enforcement officers, cleansing teams are continuing to clear rubbish from the borough’s streets quickly and efficiently.

Lewisham Council’s cleansing teams claim to remove 150 tonnes of fly tipping on average each month – equivalent to twelve double decker buses.

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Residents are able to report fly-tipping and other street cleansing issues through the Love Clean Streets app or website, making it quick and easy to alert the Council to issues in their neighbourhood. According to Mr Egan, fly-tipping costs Lewisham borough £75,000 a year.

He also promised that more CCTV will be used to capture fly-tippers and more fines will be issued.

Mr Egan said: “Lewisham has been targeted by professional fly tippers and it’s costing the Council £750,000 a year to collect and dispose of waste left on our streets. “That’s why I’ve asked the Council to take a zero-tolerance approach to fly tipping in Lewisham.

“I’ve asked for more CCTV to be used to help get evidence that we can use to catch and prosecute offenders.

“We’re handing out more fines to those responsible and we will be ring-fencing that income to fund more enforcement activities around the borough. “As well as taking action against those caught fly tipping, our fantastic cleansing teams are working hard to ensure rubbish is cleared as quickly as possible, helping to create a Cleaner Lewisham for all of us.”

Ms McGeevor added: "There’s no excuse for fly tipping, dumping rubbish or littering in Lewisham.

“Our enforcement and cleansing teams do an incredible job of investigating fly tipping, taking action against those responsible and ensuring rubbish is cleared quickly and efficiently – I am grateful for all of their hard work.”

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