'Bring back dog licences and charge for paper cups to help tackle littering epidemic'
Senedd members have drawn up a wishlist of demands as parties look to create their manifestos
Fly-tipped waste was left on the B4562 in Pontprennau, Cardiff, recently
Higher fines for repeat offenders and awareness courses for people caught littering, dog fouling or fly tipping are just some of the ideas being touted to make Wales cleaner.
Other suggestions made by a cross-party group of Senedd members include reintroducing dog licences - something that was mandatory in England, Wales and Scotland until 1987.
Councils should be subject to performance measures, and be checked as to how they meet targets for street cleaning too, they said. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here
Wales' carrier bag scheme could also be expanded and there could also be a charge for disposable cups, they suggest.
The document, titled 'The Wales We Want To See', heard from Keep Wales Tidy, Fly-tipping Action Wales and the Marine Conservation Society to show gaps in current legislation and explain how existing legislation could be used to keep Wales cleaner. The aim of the document is to encourage all Senedd political parties to put the issue of littering and fly-tipping front and centre of their manifestos.
The suggestions are:
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Review licensing and planning guidelines for fast food premises
Amend the legislation to make drivers responsible for littering from vehicles (already applied in England) to facilitate enforcement and to explore the option for adding penalty points for offenders
Review and amend waste licensing and waste permit system
Introduction of a statutory duty for local authorities to investigate and prosecute fly-tipping and publicise enforcement successes
A national litter/dog fouling/fly-tipping awareness course for all offenders
Review penalties (including fines and vehicle seizures) and penalty escalations for repeat offenders to ensure credible deterrent level, including consideration for the introduction of a 'sliding scale' for FPNs and increasing penalty amounts
A Local Prevention Plan which includes the adoption of a template to report progress against prevention focused indicators and continual progress monitoring
Reintroduction of Performance Measures (PAM) for street cleansing and regulation for any local authorities who consistently under-perform to be supported by independent support and tailored 'improvement plans'
Expansion of charges and levies such as a disposable cup levy (like the carrier bag charge)
A tax or levy on fast food packaging (a discount is common on take-away rather than eat in)
Consider the reintroduction of dog licences to specifically support the provision of dog wardens and promote and educate responsible dog ownership.
Owen Derbyshire, CEO of Keep Wales Tidy, said: "The spike in littering rates across Wales is deeply worrying. We urgently need the next Welsh Government to prioritise bold, radical, and preventative actions to tackle litter at its source. We warmly welcome the recommendations from the Cross-Party group and hope political parties will give them serious consideration when developing their manifestos."
Neil Harrison of Fly-tipping Action Wales said: "Fly-tipping Action Wales support local authorities who are working extremely hard to tackle fly-tipping and bring offenders to justice.
"Unfortunately, the fines being awarded by the courts are not always reflective of the impact fly-tipping has on the environment, wellbeing of communities, and the local authority resources required to clear the waste and take forward enforcement action."
In the foreword to the report, Labour MS Mick Antoniw, the chair of the group, said; "Wales is a beautiful country - still - but we are nearing a literal tipping point. Fly-tipping and littering are at epidemic levels and it's not just our environment and quality of life that suffers. It's bad news for our economy, it leads to more crime and has a devastating effect on wildlife.
"This booklet sets out the extent of the problem and just how important addressing this issue is to voters. They expect government to act and they will support policies that will deliver action.
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"The good news is that there is plenty we can do. Each recommendation listed will make a difference and take us closer to the Wales we all want to see. Many of the initiatives support broader goals such as promoting the circular economy, which already has cross-party support. Others, such as using technology to clamp down on those who throw rubbish from car windows could be self-funding. We are confident that all our proposed measures will attract significant voter support.
"This booklet does not set out policy - that is for each party to develop - but we believe it is a good basis for developing effective, sustainable policy. We hope that all political parties in Wales, as part of their manifesto development process, will consider the issues raised here and join us in helping to create the Wales we all want to see."
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