Story: Graham Jones
Talk to most people in our community and sooner or later the subject of litter and rubbish pops up.
Recently two local residents were fined £602.79 each by the courts after failing to pay their initial £75 fine for dropping litter, which isn't just unsightly but also against the law. This is a real problem round here. A lot of people are already doing something about it.
Some people regularly pick up the litter in front of their house; others take part in more organised litter picks on our streets and open spaces. This is a problem where we have the solution in our own hands.
We can take our rubbish to the nearest bin or take it home, not just throw it away. We can tell our children and grandchildren that litter not only makes a mess, it also encourages rats, pigeons and flies. These pests carry a whole range of diseases.
Sheffield Environmental Health Service responds to calls concerning rats with theirhelpful, efficient and free service. Phone 0114 203 7410 or 203 7411 between 8am to 6pm.
Local teachers are spreading the message. It might help if local shops, large and small, and takeaways installed bins outside their premises and put notices up inside telling people not to drop litter outside in the street. When a shop or a takeaway has a lot of litter and rubbish outside, customers might wonder about the hygiene standards inside the shop itself.
Veolia are asking for suggestions for new locations for recycling sites, so please forward your ideas to sheffieldenquiries@veolia.co.uk. Fly-tipping of larger objects, such as furniture, fridges and mattresses is a criminal offence that could get you fined up to £50,000. It's not only ugly and unfair to the residents of the area but dangerous for children and may lead to arson. Issues such as fly-tipping, rubbish and dog fouling can all be reported to the “Fix My Street” website. If you have a problem with such dumping in your area, phone the police 101 number.
If you are trying to get rid of a larger object yourself you can either take it to the Shirecliffe Household Waste Recycling Centre, 111 Longley Avenue West or call 0114 2734567 (you may be charged for this service.) If you are a council tenant you can have up to ten ‘bulky items’ per year removed for free by calling 0114 273 4567 and quoting your rent account number.
Lots of charities, including Emmaus and the British Heart Foundation, take furniture and electrical items. The “Why Waste” organisation can help recycle electrical appliances, IT equipment, paint, wood, furniture, clothing and textiles. If you can, recycle rather than reject. Summer is here, let's take a pride our neighbourhoods and show respect for our neighbours.