 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
News Index |
A Rubbish Performance
The Environment Agency has teamed up with The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) to find a new way of approaching fly-tipping problems in Liverpool.
Instead of a conference, businesses across Liverpool were invited to watch a play, specifically written to tackle the issues of dumping waste illegally. The performance was part of an event organised by the two companies to teach businesses in the city about the ever-growing problem, and more importantly, the penalties fly-tippers can face. With prison sentences and possible fines of up to £50,000 for offenders, the play had a serious message for its audience.
Director of Corporate Affairs at the Environment Agency, Helen McCallum commented: "Liverpool City Council spent over £1m last year cleaning up fly-tipped waste. This is paid for by the tax payer, and I for one don't want my taxes being spent cleaning up after waste criminals."
Although presented in a light-hearted way, the issue is being taken very seriously, as Arwyn Jones, National Programme Manager explained: " At the BREW Programme, which is funded by DEFRA, we're using new technologies to catch waste criminals including number plate recognition and forensics. We work closely with local authorities and the police to crackdown on the dumping of illegal waste. Tonight was part of an ongoing campaign to make sure businesses and the community in the Mersey area know what their responsibilities are. The campaign is designed to encourage and support businesses to make better use of their resources and manage their waste more efficiently helping them to save money and the environment."
