Two one-tonne bags of building waste were dumped in a field in Rue du Manoir, Forest, last week.
Sarah Vautier contacted the Guernsey Press to express her frustration about the lack of help from the authorities in clearing up the issue.
‘We rent the field where Tostevin’s veggy stand used to be and the next one along where the bags were dumped,’ she said.
‘Bearing in mind fly-tipping is illegal, the general consensus from both the parish douzaine and the police was that they require us to get them irrefutable proof of who dumped it because, without it, they can do nothing as it’s one person’s word against another and it may just be malicious’.
After digging around in the rubbish, Mrs Vautier said she found substantial proof of who dumped it, the name of the company concerned, their telephone number and an address.
‘The police have been made aware of all of this information, but still will do nothing, not so much as a phone call,’ she said.
‘I have received messages from people on social media suffering similar problems, including one person I know whose elderly mother has just had rubbish fly-tipped in her garden.’
She said she was ‘raging’, not only at the act itself, but that the authorities would not do anything about it.
Yesterday she was visited by two concerned members of the douzaine – Clive Le Tissier and David Gorvel.
‘Clive has kindly done some considerable leg work and investigating regarding this issue, and has gathered from the official States website that fly-tipping on private land is apparently outside of the law’s remit,’ Mrs Vautier said.
‘That is to say nothing can be done legally to prosecute or stop people from dumping on private land. This is clearly a massive loophole in the law that some people are taking advantage of.’
She felt the issue should be addressed by the States with a view to changing the law.
This was not the first time she had experienced rubbish being dumped on the track by her fields.
‘On another occasion we actually had receipts and various other items that could easily identify the culprit. The police attended, took the items, and we never heard from them again.
‘Had they confirmed at that time – or when I reported this latest incident to them – that their hands are tied because of this loophole, I would not have bothered them with this or the evidence that we gleaned from members of the general public on social media about this latest incident.
She has contacted the States’ Trading Supervisory Board explaining her concerns and is awaiting a response.
Guernsey Police has been contacted for its comments on Mrs Vautier’s concerns.
The official line on what to do about fly-tipping
THE States website, gov.gg, gives this advice on fly-tipping
‘If you wish to report significant street littering or the need for street cleaning then: note the amount and type of litter, where it has been left and the frequency (if appropriate) and contact us [231200],’ the advice said.
‘In some cases, such as cigarette butts outside a corporate building it may be appropriate to report the litter to the firm or organisation in question.’
Islanders who discover fly-tipped rubbish should not touch the waste as it may contain dangerous items such as syringes, broken glass or chemicals etc.
‘If possible, please visually inspect the waste and try to determine what the waste consists of and how much there is, its exact location, do not disturb the site as there may be evidence that could help identify the offenders.
‘If someone has fly-tipped waste then a crime is likely to have been committed and you or the landowner should follow the steps above and then report the matter to the police on 725111.
‘If the fly-tipped rubbish is on the road, a pavement, or a car park needing a parking clock then please contact us.
‘If it is in a coastal car park please contact Agriculture, Countryside and Land Management Services (tel. 234567).
‘If the fly-tipping is on your land, unfortunately, this anti-social behaviour leaves you with the responsibility for disposing of the waste as it has been tipped. However, if the perpetrator is caught you may be able to recover this cost.’
Anyone who sees someone fly-tipping should report it to the police along with the day, date and time the incident happened, what was seen and where, any vehicles involved along with their colour, make and registration number.
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