What are the origins of this fun-filled festive custom?
Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of waste. It's a crime that incurs billions of dollars in annual cleanup costs, and has serious health and environmental consequences. Cases of illegal dumping are rising exponentially, with many perpetrators seemingly acting with impunity. But what exactly makes fly-tipping more than just an eyesore, and why does it pose a danger?
Click through and learn more about the crime that is fly-tipping.
By definition, fly-tipping, or illegal dumping, is the disposal of waste illegally instead of using an authorized method of collection.
Fly-tipping usually takes place in remote areas where perpetrators are unlikely to be seen. Isolated country lanes and wooded areas are favorite dumping grounds.
Fly-tipping is a worldwide issue. It's estimated that there are nearly 100 million tons of illegally dumped waste globally. Americans alone are estimated to illegally dump almost 1.5 million tons of trash each year, according to Dumpsters.com.
While high disposal costs can discourage some in getting rid of their waste in a proper manner, it's also the fact that a lack of monitoring by some authorities or punishments has encouraged people to break the law.
A frequently dumped material, old tires provide an ideal breeding ground for mosquitos due to stagnant water collected within rims.
And then there's the human factor. Simple laziness and a can't-be-bothered attitude can also be blamed for the prevalence of fly-tipping.
And it's not just society that suffers. The environment is increasingly under threat from illegal dumping. An estimated 60% of water pollution is caused by garbage, and that percentage is increasing.
People therefore turn to disposing of waste in unauthorized areas to save money.
A shortage of waste disposal options drives demand for waste removal services that in turn increase prices. Some people simply aren't willing to pay a premium for having their garbage removed legally.
Fly-tipping is a nuisance in more ways than one. The unchecked dumping of garbage makes an area look ugly and rundown.
Physical well-being is also impacted by fly-tipping. Uncontrolled illegal waste disposal can be hazardous to the public. Those living near illegally dumped waste are often prone to respiratory issues, among a raft of other potential health problems.
Why do people indulge in this illegal practice? Various reasons have been put forward, the most prevalent being a shortage of legal disposal options.
So too are rivers and lakes, vacant lots, alleys, and deserted highways.
A neighborhood blighted by rubbish is also one with a negative stigma attached to it. The perception is one of seediness and, in some quarters, perhaps even danger.
Research suggests that illegal dumping creates mental health challenges. Exposure to littered environments can evoke feelings of anxiety, stress, and depression, according to Environmental Health News.
Fly-tipping is an irresponsible act akin to vandalism. Beyond the damage it can cause to your health and that of the environment, illegal dumping in urban and residential areas can actually devalue property prices.
Local authorities are charged with investigating, clearing, and taking responsibility for large-scale fly-tipping. On private land it is normally the responsibility of the landowner to remove the waste.
Hazardous waste, for example toxic materials or asbestos, is especially detrimental to health and can in fact be life-threatening.
Tires, household garbage, mattresses, and even medical waste also rank among commonly discarded material.
However, emptying a domestic garbage bin with no permission in a public or private area can be classified as illegal dumping.
The term fly-tipping is derived from the verb "tip," in this case meaning "to throw out of a vehicle," and "on the fly," meaning to "discard spontaneously or carelessly."
Runoff and hazardous waste can work its way into streams, rivers, lakes, and drinking water, contaminating watercourses with far-reaching consequences.
The financial costs of combating fly-tipping are astronomical. According to a Keep America Beautiful survey, the United States alone spends more than US$11.5 billion each year dealing with illegal dumping. And that's a figure mostly met by tax payers.
Fly-tipping can also be defined as the unauthorized deposit of any waste onto land, including waste dumped or tipped on a site with no license to accept waste.
Wildlife is not immune to fly-tipping. Animals can ingest waste after coming across dumped garbage on land or at sea.
Types of waste typically dumped include building materials from construction sites, household appliances, automobile parts, and furniture.
Fly-tipping can quickly degrade water and soil quality to the extent that entire ecosystems can be adversely affected. And it's always possible that harmful chemicals could make their way into the food chain by contaminating crops.
Fly-tipping is not the same as littering, where materials often associated with smoking, eating, and drinking are dropped indiscriminately.
A buildup of waste can spread germs and bacteria into the community. More seriously, vermin can serve as vectors of disease.
The scourge of discarded plastic is well documented. But wildlife, and especially birds, can end up swallowing other damaging debris, sharp implements for example, or shards of glass, while visiting a dump site.
The illegal dumping of waste also presents a potential fire hazard. Trash may release combustible gases. Left unchecked, this increases the chances of spontaneous combustion.
Governments can implement education campaigns to help mitigate illegal dumping and promote environmental awareness. More directly, members of the public are encouraged to join nonprofits that organize community cleanups in areas spoiled by fly-tipping.
Sources: (Dumpsters.com) (Environmental Health News) (Greentumble) (Keep America Beautiful) (Keep Britain Tidy)
What is fly-tipping, and why is it more than just an eyesore?
The scourge of illegal dumping
LIFESTYLE Society
Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of waste. It's a crime that incurs billions of dollars in annual cleanup costs, and has serious health and environmental consequences. Cases of illegal dumping are rising exponentially, with many perpetrators seemingly acting with impunity. But what exactly makes fly-tipping more than just an eyesore, and why does it pose a danger?
Click through and learn more about the crime that is fly-tipping.