Bristol faces a fly-tipping crisis, with a proposal for monthly bin collections to tackle waste issues. Recent data shows a significant rise in incidents over the past decade.
Bristol: A new study highlights fly-tipping issues in the city. The council is thinking about switching to monthly black bin collections.
Hippo Waste looked at data from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. They found Bristol is in the top 20% for fly-tipping rates in England.
From April 2022 to March 2023, Bristol had 10,181 fly-tipping incidents. That’s 21.3 incidents for every 1,000 residents. Nearby areas like Bath and South Gloucestershire had far fewer incidents.
Household waste is the most common type of fly-tipping. Black bags and other household waste make up a large portion of the total. The number of incidents has risen by over 60% in the last decade.
Gareth Lloyd Jones from Hippo Waste noted that Bristol’s fly-tipping rate is higher than the national average. The council hopes that monthly bin collections will help improve waste management.
However, some worry that fewer collections could lead to more fly-tipping. This illegal dumping can create unsafe areas for everyone, including children and wildlife.
The council believes this change could save money and boost recycling rates. But not everyone agrees. The Labour group has started a petition against the monthly collections.
Councillor Martin Fodor emphasized that fly-tipping is a serious crime. It harms the environment and makes the city look bad. Bristol offers many legal ways to dispose of waste safely.
If caught fly-tipping, offenders could face hefty fines or even jail time. The council encourages residents to report any fly-tipping they see.
