The illegal dumping of waste is the biggest environmental concern for households in Northern Ireland according to the latest statistics from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA).

The NIEA also revealed that in the last two years it has cleaned-up 306 illegal waste sites, with taxpayers footing the £500,000 bill - the equivalent to employing 15 nurses.

Derek Williamson, NIEA’s head of enforcement, said collective action is needed to stop the illegal dumpers.

He stated: “Fly-tipping is a crime and a grotesque blight on our landscape”.

In the last two years, NIEA alone have cleaned-up 306 sites across Northern Ireland.

Williamson continued by saying that the issue is not one that they can simply prosecute their way out of. He said that NIEA must “inform, educate and motivate people to change their behaviour. To have respect and concern for their prized-landscape and environment”.

“We will not hesitate to prosecute when we have enough evidence, but we also need people to get on board with us to fight the fly tippers.We have started a campaign to raise awareness of the issue and to explain that everyone has a responsibility when it comes to how their own rubbish is disposed of,” Williamson added.

Everyone from householders to businesses have a responsibility, a duty of care, to make sure their rubbish doesn't end up being illegally dumped.

“Whether you hire a skip, pay a builder or a ‘man with a van’ to remove your general household waste you must make sure they are licenced to do so,” Mr Williamson explained.

Dr Ian Humphreys from Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful said: “Thankfully, most people dispose of their rubbish correctly, however, a small number of selfish people are placing a significant burden on our environment and economy.”

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