FEARS are growing that changes to the way Thurrock residents can dispose of waste will result in a sharp rise in fly-tipping reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
From June 1 Thurrock Council will no longer allow large vans such as Transits, Lutons, HGVS, flatbed lorries, tipper vans and mini-buses into the Household Waste and Recycling Centre in Buckingham Hill Road, Linford.
Smaller vans will be allowed in but will need a permit allowing just six visits a year. Residents parking up outside the centre and trying to carry items in will be turned away and reported.
The changes are being brought in to deter building and commercial waste being taken to the tip.
Other restrictions include one car boot – equivalent to three wheelbarrows full – of soil, hardcore or gypsum-based products including plaster board, one wheelbarrow full of tiles ceramics or a toilet or washbasin will be allowed in along with five tyres per year and no more than 10 litres of engine or cooking oil a year.
Similar restrictions were imposed in Kent, including an online booking system and a £10 charge for each visit, but they have prompted a rise in fly-tipping in recent years. Thurrock has discussed a booking system but has yet to introduce it.
Gravesend resident Michael Adkins said: “Fly-tipping is not a new problem but it certainly feels like it’s increased over recent years in Kent.
“About four years ago my local recycling centre introduced charges for some types of waste and you just had a sense that fly-tipping increased around that time. It became more visible.
“Some people clearly thought why pay for something I’ve never had to pay for before, especially when I can just dump it on the side of a road.
“Then the Covid lockdowns hit, and as recycling centres reopened booking systems were introduced and remained in place thereafter. No doubt council charges for bulky waste have steadily increased over the years.
“Sadly, it’s obvious. The more barriers, especially financial, that you put in front of people, the more frequent fly-tipping becomes.”
Thurrock will just be one big dumping ground
Anonymous May 18, 2023 At 11:02 am “Thurrock will just be one big dumping ground”
No change there then!
Thurrock is a Dump and the thieving Bast””””” that Screwed us all over are just trying to save there Arses by Charging us at every turn, People need to stand up and Refuse to Pay any Extra Charges and take all Waste to the Council Offices and let them Deal with it , they have taken the Brown Bin Service away, then it will be the Blue Bin Waste Service taken away and you will all end up taking your own Waste to the Tip so they will not have to Pay any Staff on Waste Collection More Jobs gone and Money Saved by Thurrock Council.
What the hell is going on? Thurrock council needs to get a grip and fast! They have done away with the brown bins- Thankyou very little, I now have a bin full of green and food waste to be got rid of and now have a serious pong outside my house. Also they have increased council tax this year and on top of that they now want to consider charging the community to dispose of their waste? Why are we paying twice?. It’s absolute bonkers the the councillors should be whipping their backsides as well as bringing it up at 10 Downing Street it’s a disgrace.
We all pay for every service the council performs, waste disposal should be UNTOUCHABLE, do away with other services if you must, but WASTE of any sort must be maintained throughout, or you will just be creating a massive mess in the county that the COUNCIL will still have to clear up at OUR expense again, it’s about time someone in that pathetic council office stood up for those people who are voting them into power, we in thurrock are DESPERATELY in need of a party that actually stands up for it’s communities.