Authority will be reaching out to communities to help ‘make a positive difference’ on the issue throughout September

Peterborough City Council (PCC) will be raising awareness about fly-tipping this month via a new campaign which will highlight how the issue is blighting local communities and what can be done about it.

The authority has said tackling fly-tipping in and around the city is one of the authority’s top priorities.

“We already work tirelessly to clean up fly-tipping and I hope that this campaign will help raise awareness of the issue,” said Councillor Dennis Jones, Leader of Peterborough City Council.

Emily Brown, Amy Nebel and Christina Fernandez-Hierro from Peterborough Recycles Right at the fly-tipping awareness day event at Gladstone Community Centre.

placeholder image — Emily Brown, Amy Nebel and Christina Fernandez-Hierro from Peterborough Recycles Right at the fly-tipping awareness day event at Gladstone Community Centre.

The campaign comes after the council was awarded just under £50,000 by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to target fly-tipping hotspots.

“We are doing our bit by investing money in new cameras and working with communities to educate them about correct waste disposal,” Councillor Jones explained.

“I hope that this campaign will add to this work and make a positive difference in our ongoing quest to tackle fly-tipping in Peterborough.”

The council is required by national law to investigate fly-tipping on public highways or public land and arrange for the waste to be cleared. Once reported to them, PCCC has an obligation to arrange for the fly-tip to be cleared within 48 hours, or 24 hours if it is classed as hazardous.

Litter pickers Cllr Asim Mahmood, P.C. Nikki Timms and Jamie MacFarlane help spread the word about fly-tipping awareness at Gladstone Community Centre.

“Although the council is sometimes criticised for fly-tipping in Peterborough it is not the authority committing the act itself,” the councillor said.

We need people’s help not only to report it to us but to encourage others not to do it or shop them when they see people fly-tipping.

Peterborians can report fly-tipping to the council via the online PCC portal, or by calling 01733 747474.

As part of the awareness campaign, a special waste and fly-tipping community event was held at Gladstone Community Centre on Saturday 14 September.

Starting at 9.30am, the day featured litter picking, and educational activities and games, as well as visits from waste mascots Recycling Rita and Hungry Harry.

Councillor Jones urged every resident to use the awareness drive to work together:

“Tackling fly-tipping in Peterborough is a joint effort,” he said, “and something we need everyone’s help with.”