International Review of Waste Management Policy - Department of ...

households) will tend towards fly-tipping irrespective of whether there is a charging
system in place, though with potential for the problem to worsen with pay-by-use in
place. The approach is to take early action against those who fly-tip and explain how
the system works. Clearing hot-spots frequently is also seen as important. 190 Some
authorities report that bring sites and recycling centres act as ‘attraction points’ for
fly-tippers. The IWM charging review reports that:
156
� In Nijmegen, charging may have increased the number of tips at these
‘attraction points’;
� In Comuni dei Navigli, the fact that bring sites for glass and cans appear to act
as attraction points for illegal dumping was leading the Comuni to consider
switching to kerbside collection for those materials collected at bring sites;
� Landkreis Schweinfurt had, as one of its strategies to prevent fly-tipping, the
more frequent clear up of fly tips at litter bins and at mini recycling centres.
They believed this would reduce the attraction which already fly-tipped waste
creates to those who are considering of fly-tipping.
� In Treviso, around 0.3% of all waste is illegally tipped. The key areas are bring
sites, and at the recycling centres operated by the responsible consortium.
� Gent reports a maximum level of 0.5% of waste being fly-tipped. They suggest
the main problems are at, and around, high rise buildings, and that ‘lowincome
residents and foreigners’ are the most frequent culprits. Interestingly,
they have argued for a change in the way the municipality deals with lowincome
residents arguing that they should not be given a ‘compensation
cheque’ by the municipality, but a number of ‘free sacks’, or ‘free emptyings’,
so as to reduce the problem.
A study by Webb et al 2006 191 makes some interesting comments around the issue
of civic amenity site provision. The availability of these, and of other waste disposal
sites, is seen as a key determinant of fly-tipping. This – and experience elsewhere –
suggests that (quite apart from the quality of kerbside recycling infrastructure) the
following have some bearing upon the extent of fly-tipping:
� The density of CA site provision;
� The site layout (reducing visit times);
� The range of materials collected separately, and free of charge, at CA sites for
recycling / composting;
� The charge levels for residual waste at CA sites; and
� The nature, and cost of, bulky waste provision.
190 Personal comm., Danny Ville, OVAM.
191 Barry Webb, Ben Marshall, Sarah Czarnomski and Nick Tilley (2006) Fly-tipping: Causes, Incentives
and Solutions, Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science, UCL, 31 May 2006.
29/09/09