Rural crime officers with Police Scotland are working with NETs Land and countryside teams to track down fly-tippers.
If links can be found to criminal activity, dumpers could face fines of £40,000 - far above the existing maximum councils such as West Lothian can secure for convictions - currently £200.
Countryside manager, Andy Johnston, told members of Fauldhouse and Breich Local Area Committee that work with rural crime officers, especially in the west end of the county was ongoing.
There have been 52 enquiries in the ward relation to fly-tipping for the period 1 February to 31 March this year compared to 14 for the same period in 2020.
There was one Fixed Penalty Notice issued for fly-tipping in the ward for the period of 1 February 2021 – 31 March 2021.
For the same period in 2020, there was also one Fixed Penalty Notice issued for Fly tipping within the ward.
In the the Feb-March period last year it cost West Lothian almost £34,000 to lift over 30 tonnes of fly-tipping.
For the same period this year the cost had risen to £81,000 to lift 72 tonnes of waste illegally dumped.
Percentage wise this would equate to an approximate cost for the Fauldhouse and Breich Valley ward of £7,370.64 for disposal of fly-tipping between 1 February 2021 and 31 March 2021, including cost for staff/vehicles.
Mr Johnston said that a sustained campaign to remind householders of their responsibility to ensure waste was dealt with properly would follow on from an anti litter campaign next month.
Nationally local authorities are working with agencies such as Zero Waste Scotland to ensure that fly-tipping becomes a criminal rather than civil offence to increase penalties. At the moment links to criminal enterprise have to be established before prosecutions can take place.
Don't miss the latest news from the West Lothian Courier. Sign up to our free newsletter here https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/newsletter-preference-centre/
