Up to £50,000 could be needed to carry out remediation work at an illegal flytipping site in Fort William, according to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).

Last month, officers from SEPA's Waste Crime Team led a multi-agency response involving the organisation, Police Scotland and Highland Council, to investigate, and help address, flytipping at the site at Mount Alexander, Camaghael.

With building and construction materials being among the various types of waste that has accumulated at the site for a considerable time, SEPA said it is evident that tradesmen in the area are persistently dumping waste materials at the site to avoid paying the cost of disposal at legitimate waste management sites.

SEPA estimates the costs of cleaning up the site could be as much as £50,000, depending on the types of waste involved. To deter further flytipping, the organisation is working with the local community to seek solutions for restricting access to the site.

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In addition, SEPA has started working with Police Scotland to undertake road stops in the Fort William area to ensure that anyone carrying ‘controlled waste' is a registered waste carrier with the appropriate permits in place. Anyone caught without a permit could face a Fixed Monetary Penalty of £300 or even prosecution.

SEPA officers are also visiting local businesses to gather information, check permits and reinforce the responsibilities and obligations that apply to anyone producing, carrying or managing waste.

SEPA's Chief Executive Officer, Terry A'Hearn, said: "It is a criminal offense to illegally dispose of waste, with firm obligations on the waste producer to ensure their waste is managed by a SEPA registered waste carrier at a fully-licensed site.

"In addition, there are significant penalties for traders or business moving or disposing of waste illegally, as well as clean-up costs for landowners who's sites are used for illegal disposal."

Sergeant Ewan Calder of the Police Scotland Road Policing Unit in Fort William, said: "Flytipping, particularly large household items on the street spoils the look of an area and can become a target for wilful fire raising and other associated criminality.

"If anyone sees fly tipping in their area, we would urge them to report it to us or SEPA at the time or as soon as possible, along with any descriptions of people or vehicles used, including make, model and registration if possible."

Cllr Allan Henderson said: "Highland Council welcome's SEPA's campaign against illegal flytipping in Fort William. There is no excuse for flytipping anywhere in our region as Highland Council provides 21 recycling centres across the Highlands including one in Fort William at Claggan."

Local Cllr Ben Thompson added: "We urge local people not to accept cheap quotes for building or construction works as often behind that cost cutting can be criminality and illegal dumping like this."

(LM)