A smartphone app which lets members of the public report fly-tipping to a national database could be a vital tool in the war against Scotland’s illegal dumpers.
Zero Waste Scotland is calling for a more coherent online directory to get on top of Scotland’s fly-tipping problem.
The Scottish Government-backed organisation said that local authorities used different methods to keep check on illegal dumping grounds, meaning current shared online tools failed to show the complete picture.
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In a recently published report on fly-tipping behaviour, Zero Waste Scotland said: “The exact size of the problem of fly-tipping in Scotland is not known because comprehensive fly-tipping data does not exist.
“In addition, a large proportion of fly-tipping occurs on private land and remains largely unrecorded.”
It is estimated that illegal dumping remains an issue for move than three-quarters of Scotland’s private landowners and about two-thirds of farmers.
In these cases, it is the landowners’ responsibility to clean up items at their own cost and effort.
Zero Waste Scotland reports: “Better data is central to fully understanding the dimension of the problem in Scotland and effectively tackle fly-tipping.
“By mapping where incidents occur, they become easier to clear up, to prevent in future and to prosecute.”
The spokesman added: “Better data would be crucial to better understand displacement effects of successful fly-tipping interventions.
“Advances in technology, such as app developments for the public to feed into, might further enable improved understanding of the problem and effective countermeasures.”
