Prosecution hopes after fly-tipping eyesore

A large quantity of waste material was illegally dumped at the site owned by Biffa UK in Catcliffe just before Christmas after the lock on a gate to the land was broken.

The site off Treeton Lane has been targeted many times in recent years with the lock being burned off on one occasion.

But Rotherham borough councillor Andrew Roddison says he believed that a prosecution could result this time as evidence was found amongst the rubbish dumped.

Cllr Roddison said that fly-tipping is a blight across the whole district and he wants it stamped out, blaming rogue waste collectors and people too lazy to take their rubbish to a proper tip.

Cllr Roddison told the Advertiser: “It’s something that has occurred on and off for a number of years where people have forced the gate.

“People force the lock and go and dump their rubbish.”

He said that an investigation into the latest load of rubbish had produced a lead as to where the waste came from and he expects further action in the new year.

Cllr Roddison said: “It does appear to be a lorry-load of rubbish.

“The people who owned the rubbish may not be the people who dumped it.”

The councillor said that site owner Biffa UK had to clear the rubbish every time it is dumped, which was a costly process.

“Biffa are doing all they can to make the area secure and safe,” he added.

“It’s people who are breaking and entering. Biffa are not to blame here.”

Cllr Roddison said that fly-tipping was a large-scale problem across the Rotherham district which was proving hard to combat.

He said: “This is a Rotherham-wide problem. There are country lanes that are plagued by fly-tipping and dumping.

“It costs hundreds of thousands of pounds to clear these sites.

“I am not sure what the rationale behind it all is. It’s just a selfish act that people will dump down country lanes.”

Cllr Roddison said that there were cases of people with vehicles posing as official waste collectors who are paid by householders in good faith to take rubbish, believing it will be dumped properly. 

Instead, the waste is dumped illegally.

He added that some householders in Rotherham could take their rubbish to tips where it will be dealt with appropriately but “for whatever reason that does not happen”.