New bid to clean up environment

May 15 2008 By John Rowbotham

WAR was this declared on South Lanarkshire’s environmental yobs.

The ‘Clean Sweep’ campaign is aimed at cracking down on litter, dog fouling, graffiti, fly-tipping and cars left abandoned.

South Lanarkshire Council, who have introduced the crackdown, hope it will help reduce the £5m currently spent each year on tackling the problems.

During the 12-month campaign, enforcement officers with the power to impose on-the-spot fines will target troublespots.

People will be made aware of the problems associated with litter, dog fouling, etc, and the cost of cleaning up.

Communities will be asked to come up with ways of clearing litter-strewn landscapes.

And education initiatives will be used to persuade pupils that it is unacceptable to discard litter and throw away gum.

Council community resources chairman Gerry Convery said a hard line would be taken against those who dump rubbish in the countryside in an attempt to avoid paying landfill charges.

“There have been a number of significant changes in legislation which now enables enforcement activities to be much more effective,” he said. “The introduction of the Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act, and the amendments to the Environmental Protection Act in relation to fixed penalty notices have considerably enhanced the council’s regulatory capabilities.

“Council’s enforcement staff are now working seven days a week and our ability to tackle environmental crime has taken a significant leap forward.”

People could make a contribution by making use of all the council’s facilities for the disposal of waste. These include the civic amenity sites and FREE uplift facility for domestic and garden waste

He urged people to put litter in a litter bin or take it home, encourage their children to do the same, and volunteer for clean-ups.

Householders should also report incidents of fly-tipping, dog fouling, graffiti and abandoned cars to South Lanarkshire Council’s environmental crime line — 0800 242024 — or to police.