Waging war on fly-tipping (From Daily Echo)

Waging war on fly-tipping

10:00am Monday 2nd April 2007 in Readers' Letters

THE Countryside Alliance recently launched "Fly-tipping, scrap it", a campaign that has caught the public's imagination across the UK.

The news that fly-tipping costs the taxpayer £72 per minute - there is an incidence every 12 seconds - and yet only one in 100 cases leads to prosecution has caused shock and outrage.

We believe this is a good thing - only by getting angry about this problem can we do something about it.

For too long fly-tipping has gone under the radar - it appears to be a faceless crime and a taboo subject and we aim to change that.

We are organising National Fly-tipping Awareness Week, which begins on April 23 and will include the Big Pick-Up, a mass spring clean that everyone can get involved in.

During this week we will demonstrate to the public, the media, local authorities and Parliamentarians the extent of the problem and make it clear that a solution must be found.

The countryside is for all of us to enjoy - a selfish minority must not spoil the UK's beautiful landscapes for the rest of us.

See www.countryside-alliance.org for more information on the campaign and how to get involved.

SARA RUTHERFORD, southern regional director, Countryside Alliance.