Wolverhampton City Council Environmental Health officers have noticed a significant rise in the number of fridges being dumped at various locations in the city, with 70 in August alone, and are urging residents to dispose of their old appliances responsibly.
Between May and August this year, Public Realm Services have collected 91 fridges each, at a cost of more than £100 to the taxpayer.
Traditionally, some residents put their unwanted bulky items out for collection, expecting them to be collected by scrap metal dealers and disposed of correctly but this doesn't appear to be happening.
Any offender caught fly tipping will be prosecuted and could face up to £50,000 fine or 12 months imprisonment.
Councillor John Reynolds, Wolverhampton City Council's Cabinet Member for City Services, said: "We are concerned about the rising number of fridges being illegally dumped across Wolverhampton.
"Fly tipping is unsightly and, as well as making our city look a mess, clearing up costs the taxpayer thousands of pounds each year.
"Not only do discarded fridges make the area look untidy, they must also have the insulation foam removed before they can be recycled or scrapped to prevent the release of CFCs into the environment.
"We are urging anyone who witnesses such offences to contact us as soon as possible and we will not hesitate to take action against offenders who are caught blighting the city."
Residents are reminded that the council's bulky waste collection offers a special collection service for fridges and freezers at a cost of £20.90 which can be arranged by calling 01902 551155.
Alternatively residents can take their fridge to one of the authorised 2 household waste recycling centres in Anchor Lane and Shaw Road, where it will be disposed of free of charge.
People who continue to rely on scrap metal dealers to collect their fridges should carry out checks to ensure they have a valid waste carrier's licence and issue them with a waste transfer note. Failure to do so could result in the household being liable if their waste is fly tipped.
- released: Wednesday 18 September, 2013