News Drones help council speed up fly-tipped waste
New figures reveal that drones are giving Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) the edge in the fight against fly-tipping.
The technology is helping officers locate illegally dumped waste in minutes, a job that could otherwise take hours, especially in rural areas where waste is often spread over large distances. Equipped with thermal imaging, drones can even detect burning waste almost instantly.
Between April and September, 1,687 fly-tips were reported to the council. Thanks to faster detection, 1,104 were cleared within four days. Delays on the remainder were mainly due to large-scale commercial incidents requiring specialist equipment and testing.
But clean-up is only part of the solution. MBC’s Waste Crime Team is taking a hard line on offenders, working closely with Kent Police in regular multi-agency operations. Of the offences, 146 resulted in fines or court action, an encouraging statistic considering the complexities in tracking down offenders.
Cllr Clive English, MBC Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Enforcement, said:
The issue of fly-tipping is not unique to Maidstone, or even Kent. Up and down the country we are seeing the devastating impact of this criminality, with industrial-scale waste dumping on an organised crime level, causing misery to communities, polluting watercourses and destroying wildlife habitats.The team at MBC works tirelessly with partners such as Kent Police and the Environment Agency to prevent situations like this from happening and we will continue to take a robust stance against those who blight our landscapes by dumping waste.
The council continues to embrace technology to help them effectively carry out their duties and improve the quality of life for all residents, but our communities can play a part in this too. I would urge anyone having waste removed from their homes to ensure that the people taking it have a waste carrier’s licence. Be mindful that if your waste is found dumped and traced back to you, you are liable for a fine or prosecution.
Earlier this year, the council launched its ‘Don’t Mess with Maidstone’ campaign, warning fly-tippers that they will face prosecution and reminding residents to dispose of household waste responsibly.
Over Christmas it is anticipated that reports of fly-tipping will rise due to more people going out for festive walks. This may result in slower-than-usual clean ups, but the council remain committed to tackling all waste.