Operation Swift Cracks Down on Flytipping in Chiswick
Police and council team up to check waste carrier licences
Chiswick litter pick volunteers
December 8, 2024
A joint operation between Hounslow Council and the Metropolitan Police took place last week to crack down on fly-tipping in Chiswick.
Operation Swift was launched after a number of flytipping incidence in the area and focused on compliance with waste carrier regulations.
During the operation, the team stopped vehicles and checked waste carrier licences. A number of FPNs were issued, and enforcement actions were taken against individuals found in breach of their legal responsibilities.
Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of waste, and it is a criminal offence. If someone is caught fly-tipping, they will get a £400 fixed penalty notice (FPN) – and for large or dangerous fly-tips, an unlimited fine or even face a prison sentence in a magistrate’s court.
Councillor Shivraj Grewal, lead member for Infrastructure, Recycling and Transformation at Hounslow Council, said, “Fly-tipping is extremely costly to tidy up. We spend £1.3 million every year clearing up waste that has been dumped illegally. We know that most of our residents and businesses dispose of their waste responsibly, which plays a huge part in helping to keep Hounslow’s streets clean and tidy. These are great examples of how we are fighting back against fly-tipping and will not hesitate to take strong action against those who don’t.”
“I would like to thank the Met Police for their continued support in these operations. Together, we’re making a difference in keeping our borough clean and safe.”
Hounslow Council says it is also catching suspects in the act on CCTV and tracing the rubbish back to them – which is exactly what happened to one individual after they were caught on CCTV dumping a trolley full of household waste on to Fraser House in Brentford.
In this case, it was a joint effort by the CCTV, housing caretaking and neighbourhood enforcement teams to track down the suspect. Neighbourhood enforcement officers used the CCTV evidence to identify the offender who was then contacted, admitted to the offence and received the fine.
Residents can also report fly-tipping online using the FixMyStreet app or on the Council’s website.
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