Flytipper caught in New Forest fined hundreds of pounds

Four witnesses reported seeing a man tipping waste, including rubble and household rubbish, from a flat-bed van in the Forestry Commission’s Burbush car park near Burley on the evening of October 25.

Hampshire Constabulary’s Country Watch team passed the details on to New Forest District Council (NFDC), who investigated and identified the vehicle owner.

The man admitted the offence before he was due to be interviewed by the council’s enforcement team and the police. The man will also be issued with a Section 5 notice for not having a waste carrier's licence.

Cllr Alison Hoare, NFDC's Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regulatory Services, said: “Illegally dumping waste in the New Forest damages our environment and poses a risk to people and wildlife and we will not tolerate it. I am pleased that, by working with the police's Country Watch team and the Forestry Commission, we have been able to identify the person responsible in this case. I would ask that anyone seeing any activity that they suspect may be fly tipping to report it to us.

"I also urge all businesses and householders to check that the company or individual who is offering to take their waste has a waste carrier's licence. This can be checked on the Environment Agency's waste carrier register.

If they do not have a licence, do not use them."

Bruce Rothnie, The Forestry Commission’s Deputy Surveyor for the New Forest, said: “This recent incident is another example of the lack of respect some people have for the Forest, its residents and rare wildlife.

The scale and cost of removing fly-tips, such as the one at Burbush car park is considerable, but our funds are limited, we would much rather prioritise the Forestry Commission’s local budget on managing the open forest habitats, the woodlands, and the facilities here in the New Forest.”

Flytipping can be reported to New Forest District Council at newforest.gov.uk or by calling 023 8028 5000.