Illegal fly-tipping has become a persistent problem in recent months with reports of vans dumping commercial waste in residents bins.
Old sofas, mattresses and refrigerators have all been dumped in the Gorgie-Dalry area causing local councillor Ashley Graczyk to demand Edinburgh City Council takes action.
Residents have raised the issue repeatedly at Gorgie-Dalry Community Council meetings and the community is said to be growing “increasingly frustrated” with the waste cluttering up their streets.
To tackle the problem, councillor Graczyk has launched the ‘Keep Gorgie Clean’ campaign but said it should be the council not residents who “deal with” this issue.
Councillor Graczyk said: “Gorgie-Dalry has become a hotspot for fly-tipping in recent months. It is time to send a clear message that Gorgie-Dalry is our home, not a dumping site."
She said: “We are currently the worst-affected area in the city and I am demanding that the council provide additional resources to tackle this serious issue as a priority.”
Community councillor for Gorgie-Dalry, Laura Wise said the issue is growing with offenders becoming more “brazen”.
She said: "It's constant, residents report items to Edinburgh City Council for uplift, but as soon as the rubbish is removed someone else comes along and dumps more waste.
“It's not unusual for every single bin on my street to have fly-tipped rubbish next to it. Offenders are becoming more brazen too: residents have reported seeing people drive up with vans and cars and dump trade waste, furniture, and appliances next to bins in the middle of the day.”
Current help from the council was described as inadequate and the local politician has asked for regular patrols and more CCTV to cope with the problem.
Councillor Graczyk continued: “We urgently need more Street Enforcement Officers to report illegal dumping and issue fines, but I have been informed the city-wide team only have four officers per day on duty covering 15 wards, which is completely inadequate. We need more regular patrols here and CCTV in the worst affected streets.”
Local residents are encouraged to raise their concerns on this issue with local councillors or attend the upcoming Gorgie-Dalry Community Council meeting on 7th December at 7pm.
Edinburgh City Council has been asked to comment.
Published in the Edinburgh News | 4th December 2020