CAMPAIGNERS fed up of seeing “disgusting” levels of fly-tipping in the Epping Forest every day have launched a petition for a new dump.

People say they warned Essex County Council this might happen after they scaled down the recycling centres in Chigwell and Waltham Abbey last November.

Waltham Abbey Town Council warned at the time this move would cause “unprecedented” levels of fly-tipping.

But the situation in the popular beauty spot has now reached breaking point, with everything from dangerous asbestos to fluorescent lights and fridge freezers left to rot.

Paul Morris decided to start the petition after seeing the relentless amount of photographs of rubbish posted on the Epping Forest Forum on Facebook each day.

The builder said: “It’s relentless and people are just sick of seeing it. It’s frustrating and is an absolute eyesore.

“It’s dangerous because a lot of the stuff they are dropping is contaminated waste so it’s a risk to wildlife.

“I think it’s disgusting.”

Mr Morris’ petition needs 2,000 signatures before it can be debated by the county council, but so far just over 100 have supported it.

The area is manned by the City of London Corporation, which spends £500k year on clearing fly-tipping up.

The nearest dumps are in Brentwood and Harlow but many have driven the eight miles to get there only to be turned away as they are full.

As a result, people are being forced to hire skips – but as they can cost around £200 some try to “cheat the system”.

“It makes me really angry because if you’re paying for council tax, you should be given somewhere to dump your rubbish,” he said.

“If you’re just doing a little bit of DIY at home you don’t want to spend that much money on a skip. Other parts of the county allow some DIY waste but Epping Forest has got the short straw.

“This needs to change.”

Cllr Simon Walsh, cabinet member for environment at Essex County Council, said there is “no evidence” that changes to recycling centres has caused more flytipping.

He said: “Essex is facing a problem with the fly-tipping of industrial and business waste on both private and public land.

“This wholesale dumping of commercial waste has had a significant impact on those Essex districts which border the capital and its arterial routes, including Epping.

“The Essex Waste Partnership and the Essex Rural Partnership are working towards a coordinated response to tackle this in partnership with Essex councils, Essex Police, the Environment Agency and landowners.”

Anyone caught dumping rubbish can be handed a £50k fine. To report flytipping, contact the Environment Agency on 0800 80 70 60.

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