Fly-tippers who dumped dozens of tyres on farmland in Angus have been slammed by environmental bodies.
Around 100 tyres were found dumped right next to a sign warning of the heavy financial penalties faced by offenders on the Emmock Road a mile and a half north of Dundee.
The ”Dumb Dumpers” sign warns of a penalty of £40,000 for the perpetrators of just such a crime.
An investigation into where the tyres have come from has been instigated through the Dumb Dumpers hotline.
A nearby farmer, who preferred not to be identified, said: ”It is really sickening on such a beautiful day to see the countryside spoiled for everyone by such a selfish act. I hope the authorities are able to do something to catch those responsible and hit them with the sort of fine mentioned on the sign.
”As farmers we are continually being asked to comply with environmental rules and regulations and are penalised heavily if we don’t do as we are asked. It seems that we are an easy target because SEPA and the government authorities know where we live but people prepared to come out into the countryside and cheekily dump a load of tyres against a warning sign get off scot free.”
The farmer added: ”The situation is even worse because only 20 yards along the verge another load of tyres of about the same size has been dumped just as carelessly. The dumping site is right on the road verge and within yards of the flyover across the busy A90. The thought of kids rolling tyres down the embankment on to the dual carriageway is truly terrifying.”
Dumb Dumpers, launched in 2005, is an anti-fly-tipping campaign administered on behalf of Zero Waste Scotland and the Scottish Flytipping Forum by Keep Scotland Beautiful. The call centre is manned by SEPA personnel.
Colin Hegarty, of Keep Scotland Beautiful and a member of the Scottish Flytipping Forum, said: ”Fly-tipping is a massive problem across Scotland in 2010/11 there were 62,400 incidents recorded by local authorities.”
A man in Stornoway was fined £7,500 in 2007 for dumping hazardous waste including car batteries and in Newcastle a prolific fly-tipper was jailed for 21 months and had his truck impounded and crushed.
Stuart McGowan, Angus and Dundee Unit manager of SEPA, said: ”Fly-tipping is a widespread problem and the cost of cleaning up affected areas is generally covered either by the local authority, and hence the taxpayer, or by landowners.”
The public can report anyone dumping illegally on 0845 2 30 40 90.