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News release (with pictures)

1 June 2021

FRIDGES FLY-TIPPED AT BROUGHTON-IN-FURNESS

South Lakeland District Council (SLDC) is appealing for information after household items including two old fridges were fly-tipped at Broughton-in-Furness.

Carpets, drawers, a microwave and two fridges were dumped at the town’s recycling bank site on Foxfield Road last week.

Council officers are investigating several similar incidents at the location, and they are appealing to anyone who may recognise the items to come forward. They are hoping the magnets on the fridge doors may help to jog people’s memories, including one that appears to be from a holiday in Bulgaria.

SLDC Locality Officer Phil Metcalfesaid: “Both fridges have distinctive fridge magnets on and seem to have been left outside for some time before being dumped. Are these items familiar? Did anyone see these items being unloaded from a vehicle at this site? Please help us to find out who is responsible. If you have any information, you can email locality@southlakeland.gov.uk”

Fly-tipping is a serious criminal offence. The maximum penalty that can be imposed by the courts is a £50,000 fine and up to five years in prison for the most serious offences. Householders may not realise that they also have a legal duty of care to ensure that waste is only removed from their property by registered waste carriers. If waste from your home is found to have been fly-tipped, you could be prosecuted and run the risk of a £5,000 fine and a criminal record.

Cllr Philip Dixon, SLDC portfolio holder for Customer and Locality Services, said: “Fly-tipping is not a victimless crime. As well as the cost to the environment, the financial cost of clearance, disposal and investigation is ultimately borne by the Council Tax payers of the district. We investigate every case of fly-tipping reported and, if appropriate, action will be taken. This can range from fixed penalty notices and warning letters being issued to prosecutions, potentially significant fines and even custodial sentences.”

Ends

For more information, please contact the SLDC Communications Team on 01539 793300.

Captions

1, 2 & 3. The two old fridges fly-tipped at Broughton-in-Furness have distinctive magnets on them.

4. Microwave dumped at Broughton.

5. Old drawers fly-tipped at Broughton.