Rural groups have urged farmers to be extra vigilant for fly-tippers after the coronavirus lockdown has triggered a spike in incidents.
In a joint statement, NFU Scotland (NFUS) and a cohort of environmental organisations called on farmers and landowners to protect their land, as fields and lanes have become 鈥榟ot spots' for unwanted furniture and garden waste.
It came as councils across the nation closed down Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCS) in response to the pandemic, which has also seen rubbish collections scaled back due to reduced staff numbers.
Pleading for members of the public 鈥榥ot be selfish' at a time when farmers were working around the clock to provide food for the nation, the statement said: "It is heart breaking to see farmland being utilised as a giant tip when farmers are trying to keep their businesses running despite being short staffed.
"We are urging you to keep [waste] at home until recycling centres re-open, keeping waste at home is better than taking part in a criminal act that could see fines of up to 拢40,000."
Rural insurance specialist Lycetts said farmers should ensure they had sufficient insurance in place should they fall victim to fly-tipping.
Highlighting the 鈥榗ostly' burden of removing waste from land, Rupert Wailes-Fairbairn, rural divisional director at Lycetts, said the Local Government Association had called for more funding to help local authorities prosecute offenders charged with fly-tipping on private land.
According to Defra statistics, local authorities dealt with more than 1 million incidents of fly-tipping in 2018/2019, an 8 per cent rise on 2017/2018.听
What can farmers do to deter fly-tippers?
- Install security lights and cameras at vulnerable locations throughout farms and at entrance points, hidden from view, to help provide councils with crucial evidence to prosecute.
- Farmers should consult with their insurance broker to check what cover can be afforded to them in the event of an incident.
