Fly-tippers target charity shops

April 7, 2020

Residents are being urged not to leave their unwanted household items outside charity shops as they face the risk of being fined for fly-tipping.

Whilst the borough’s household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) are closed during the Coronavirus outbreak, charity shops have seen an increase in items being left by their doors as people clear their houses out. This constitutes fly-tipping, and as such, anyone found to be leaving items outside charity shops could face a fine.

Chargeable bulky waste collections can still be booked online at www.southend.gov.uk/bulkywaste

Cllr Carole Mulroney, cabinet member for environment and planning, said: “It is disappointing to see the rise in unwanted items being dumped at charity shops. In normal circumstances they would welcome such donations. But these are not normal circumstances. The charity shops are shut so anything that is left at them will be treated as fly tipping and that leaves the person dumping the material open to a fine and quite rightly so, there is no excuse.

“It also shows a lack of understanding of the severity of the current situation. Leaving your home to dump items outside a charity shop is not essential. It is making more work for the council’s waste collection staff and diverts them from keeping our essential services going.

“I appreciate many people are taking this unwelcome opportunity to have a clear out, I am doing it myself, but please do the right thing and keep these unwanted items in a safe place whilst the recycling centres remain closed, or alternatively, book a collection online.”

For more information regarding waste services throughout the Coronavirus outbreak, please visit www.southend.gov.uk/coronavirus