Councils use surveillance to catch fly-tippers

Story link: Councils use surveillance to catch fly-tippers by Jan Harris

Local authorities are increasingly using high-tech methods to catch fly tippers.

Hart District Council has been in the news recently regarding its plan to buy £15,000-worth of CCTV cameras to monitor fly-tipping hotspots in Hart, Hampshire.

This could be a cost-effective use of council money if it reduces the £20,000 a year which the council has to spend on clearing dumped rubbish.

Charnwood Council in Leicestershire has also recently revealed plans to use both covert and overt cameras across the borough to crack down on the problem.

As well as the expense involved in clearing up illegally dumped rubbish, fly-tipping also causes environmental problems.

CCTV equipment can be deployed in fly-tipping hotspots both to provide a deterrent effect and to capture footage that can be used as evidence in court.

Many companies can supply mobile equipment that can be used in urban and rural areas. Equipment is available with battery packs for use where infrastructure in limited, and with durable and watertight housings. Night vision cameras are also available for round the clock surveillance.

However, there is concern that Councils are using the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, which was designed to permit the surveillance of terror suspects, in order to carry out covert surveillance on the public.

The act does allow local authorities to carry out covert surveillance for the purpose of the prevention or detection of crime, so technically fly-tipping does come under this remit.

For some people, though, it is yet another sign that Britain is indeed a surveillance society.