The heatwave seems to be causing a fly tipping epidemic on the streets of Thornton Heath but the culprits have been warned that the council is stepping up its campaign to fine fly tippers.

This man was caught in the act trying to dispose of a wardrobe on June 17 at 8.30am on Buxton Road  just 50 metres away from his own house and has been reported to the council.

Other pictures show trade waste dumped on the High Street, a fly tip on Berne Road, the  planter next to the bench outside Tesco,  overflowing bins on Brigstock Road and abandoned wheelie bins on the High Street junction with Woodville Road  left unemptied by the council for days.

One resident, said: “I’m forever reporting stuff and sometimes I get sick and tired of it and think why bother. Enforcement officers need to be visible in Thornton Heath and be more proactive instead of reactive.

“Extra officers would pay for themselves in no time which in-turn would save the council lots of money as they wouldn’t be clearing up after all these many fly tips. Landords who fly tip or whose tenants are caught fly tipping should have their licences revoked.

“Its up to landlords to ensure that their tenants take pride in their environment and this should be spelled out to the tenant before they sign a tenancy agreement.”

Fed up  residents have been bombarding the council with reports of fly tips and bins not being collected. They have also complained that more needs to be done than just clearing the fly tips, so the culprits escape punishment and just do it again. There has been a call for more visible enforcement officers to patrol known hotspots.

However, the council says it is stepping up its response to this problem.

Cllr Stuart Collins, cabinet member for greener cleaner Croydon, said: “Anti litter banners are going up on lamp posts in Thornton Heath soon followed by undercover surveillance during July. I expect numerous fines.”

You can’t get much worse than fly tipping your child’s homework but that’s what council officers found during a sweep of a street blighted by fly tipping.

Going down Liverpool Road had become like walking through an obstacle course of dumped household waste such as a: baby’s high chair , discarded BBQ and a Tesco trolley that had become a mobile bin – blocking the pavement for weeks. The child’s name was found on the homework in a bag of refuse dumped on the street.

Following a walkabout by Cllr Collins, leaflets were distributed on Liverpool Road with a severe warning that fly tipping residents would be fined if caught. The road could also be subjected to ad hoc surveillance in a bid to catch culprits in the act.

-For instance this  trade waste (second picture) was dumped onthe High Street, in full view of CCTV cameras. Some one went to the trouble boxes which could have been recycled. The dump site was ignored for three nights by contractors Veolia.

-Tesco has also been taking to task about the security of its trolleys as many are walked out of the store and dumped on street corners by lazy customers. The trolleys then routinely become mobile bins.

While Tesco collect the trolleys when reported they often dump the rubbish in the trolley on to the floor causing a flytip.

Questions have been asked about how they are allowed to leave the Brigstock store in the first place.

The supermarket has security and CCTV on both entrances and exits so there is no reason why they should leave the store and the company could provide trolleys which are fitted with a device which disables the trolley if it leaves the stores perimeter.

-Meanwhile pupils at primary and secondary schools are also soon to be taught not to fly-tip or drop litter. 

Lesson plans for primary school pupils have been drawn up by the council’s newly employed recycling education officer and will be trialled at 12 schools before the summer holidays.

The council’s Don’t Mess With Croydon (DMWC) campaign, is targeting young people in the latest phase of the campaign, which is being called Young People Taking Pride.

If successful, it will then be implemented in schools across the borough.

To report fly-tip please email flytip@ croydon.gov.uk. Please take photos of any information that shows an address and attach to email for the enforcement team to follow up.