Latest news with #rubbish
BBC News
16 hours ago
- BBC News
Rat sightings spark action call over York fly-tipping
A councillor has begged for action to be taken after rubbish fly-tipped at a notorious dumping spot began attracting waste has been left around overflowing recycling bins in a car park at the Morrisons store in Acomb, resident Craig Smith said the fly-tipping had been a problem for years and bin bags often split, attracting of York Council said there were plans to put more skips at the site along with signs warning against fly-tipping, but that the landowners were responsible for clearing the waste. Liberal Democrat councillor Andrew Waller called on the council to address the issue, which he said was getting said broken furniture was now being left in the car park along with other rubbish, including waste paper. Mr Smith, who has lived on adjacent Lowfield Drive for 12 years, said he had seen washing machines, fridges, car body parts and "an endless amount of other items" dumped added: "I've seen a couple of rats, including one dead in the car park."I had a rat in my garden about a month ago and that was the final straw, my wife's since seen one there – it's disgusting."Waller confirmed efforts to get the council to intervene were "ongoing" and said CCTV was needed to help with enforcement."All this fly-tipping has added to the demands on the council's caged van teams who have a huge amount of material to remove on top of the other needs to respond to fly-tipping," he said. Tanya Lyon, the council's community safety manager, said fly-tipping was taken "very seriously" with perpetrators fined up to £1,000 or said the council was working alongside its waste disposal company to put warning signs on the recycling bins and the viability of installing CCTV was also being added: "On private land, fly-tipping will be investigated, but landowners are responsible for clearance."The Local Democracy Reporting Service said it understood Morrisons had been in contact with the council over the issue, but the supermarket chain had declined to comment councillor Emily Nelson, Labour's ward member for Westfield, said anyone with information that could help with taking action against the fly-tipping should come forward. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
‘Turun Anwar' protestors left 20-tonne rubbish in KL? Nga defends claim, says numbers come from SWCorp
KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming stood by his statement that 20 tonnes of rubbish were left scattered following Saturday's 'Turun Anwar' rally, organised by the opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional. He said the data was provided by the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp), which carried out the clean-up after the rally ended. 'The claim that 20 tonnes of rubbish were left behind did not come from me, it was a report by SWCorp, which I received from the ground. 'Hundreds of our workers were deployed to clean up the waste after the black shirt rally. I do not deny that a group from the Unit Amal helped clean up, and I thank them for that. But it also cannot be denied that 20 tonnes of rubbish were strewn across Sogo, Dataran Merdeka, and Jalan Petaling,' he said during Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today. Nga was responding to a supplementary question from Pendang MP Datuk Awang Hashim, who questioned the 20-tonne figure and accused him of lying. Nga criticised the unhygienic behaviour of rally-goers, stressing that such gatherings must be conducted peacefully and in an orderly manner, including maintaining cleanliness. Yesterday, Nga blasted the rally organisers for their lack of environmental responsibility, after nearly 20 metric tonnes of rubbish were left scattered. He described the situation as 'deeply regrettable' and 'truly shameful', condemning the 'filthy attitude' shown at the event.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Travellers invade seaside town: Residents fury a amid reports of fighting, rubbish dumping and dirty nappies thrown in the sea
Residents in a popular seaside town have been left furious by a group of travellers that have 'taken over' the favoured destination. Multiple caravans arrived on the seafront lawns in Burnham-on-Sea in Somerset, on 13th July, and for nearly a fortnight have caused 'significant anxiety' and 'issues' for local residents. The travellers have set up camp in a prominent site on the coastal resort, with 15 vehicles parked on the lawns on the South Esplanade near the Sailing Club. While another 10 caravans and vehicles pitched up on the green at Priory Gardens on Tuesday afternoon. Locals and holidaymakers have reported fighting, rubbish dumping and some have even seen dirty nappies being thrown into the sea. Cheryl Boley, a retiree who has lived in the area for 60 years and walks past the occupied parking space every day and said since the travellers moved in she's seen, tyres, fridges and even faeces dumped along the once-beautiful seaside town. Mr Boley, said: 'We are fuming every time this happens. It goes on three or four times every year. 'But what can you do? Weston-super-Mare has put in bollards to stop it, but that's so expensive. 'They leave rubbish behind, tyres, fridges. human waste. 'We've heard they threw nappies over into the sea - we didn't see it ourselves, but with what gets left behind sometimes, it wouldn't be surprising. 'It makes my blood boil. We live by the law. We have a caravan - if we parked it here, we'd be kicked out immediately.' A retired man from Whitebridge, who sails with the local club opposite the camp said he has noticed a spike in vandalism because of infighting among the travellers and revealed he was shocked to see someone smashing a car windscreen. He said: 'I gather the family's had a fight. 'There's a car with its whole windscreen smashed up, and they've parked another car to block it from being towed away. 'Everyone's been watching it from the local pub.' An engineer who lives a mile from the site but takes his young son to play in the area, said the locals have come to expect it and revealed it happens every year. The father-of-two: 'We've lived here the last seven, eight years. Every year they come, they take up somewhere new for a few weeks, they're moved on, they come back. 'I don't know their backgrounds, their history. But I don't think they should be taking up all the parking space, especially in the summer. He added that he no longer feels safe in the town, adding: 'I've seen them letting dogs loose as well. Small dogs, luckily, but it doesn't feel safe - you never know.' Pat Baldock, a retiree who drives in from East Huntspill for a walk in the area each morning, said: 'They come every year, but not usually for as long as this. 'I don't mind if they come for a night or two if they pay for parking on the roads - but it's illegal what they're doing here. 'I usually park right on that road where they're parked for my walk, and I pay for that. I live here, I want to help my local community. 'I'm not angry with them as people. But I'm angry when they stay here and they tear up the gardens. The local confessed they were worried it will encourage others to pitch their caravans and ruin the local area, adding: 'I'm worried, when they get to stay as long as this, that it makes the area seem like an easy place to park up. Then they'll come every spring, every autumn, and think, ooh, look how easy it is to pitch up here. 'And it's lovely here, it's not quite someone's private back garden, is it? No wonder they want to be here.' On Friday a total of nine caravans have remained parked up on the green space of Burnham-on-Sea's south esplanade since July 13 - but some vans have left and come during that time, locals say. The trailers are parked opposite Burnham-on-Sea's motorboat and sailing club, and club members have been watching with interest what one member of the club called 'a family fight' that seems to have broken out amongst the travelling group. Two of the several cars parked by the trailers, which locals walk past to reach the apex of the area's notable sea walk, have smashed windscreens. Locals say they have been told the caravans are expected to be 'moved on' by Saturday. But currently washing lines remain strung out in the sunshine and some members of the group seem to be using the beach's toilet and washing facilities a few hundred metres from the camp. The delay in moving them on has been blasted by local MP Ashley Fox, who said the council's work to initiate legal proceedings had been 'slow.' Mr Fox, has issued a strongly worded statement expressing concern over Somerset Council's handling of the unauthorised encampment. 'I'm extremely concerned by Somerset Council's slow response to yet unauthorised traveller encampment in Burnham-On-Sea,' says the MP Mr Fox. 'The group arrived on 13th July, yet I learned the Council won't even go before a judge to start the eviction process until 25th July. That's 12 days of delay and it's simply not acceptable.' He adds: 'People in Burnham are rightly frustrated. These incidents keep happening and too often, the response from the Council is far too slow. Our local traders rely on the summer season to make a living, and they deserve better than this.' 'Rather than striving to serve the public, Somerset Council give the impression of trying to get away with doing as little as possible. They are slow and unresponsive.' Somerset Council's Lead Member for Communities, Housing Revenue Account, Culture and Equalities, Councillor Federica Smith-Roberts said: 'Our team, in collaboration with the police, acts at the earliest opportunity when an unauthorised encampment is reported and treats the matter with urgency to ensure the legal process is set in motion. 'However this is a nationally established procedure with the legal system at the centre, and just like any other local authority the Council has to work within the time frame prescribed by legislation and scheduling of the Courts.' 'After liaising with Police, the Council officer in charge of the operation issued a Formal Notice to Leave (Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 section. 77) on 15 July, at the earliest opportunity after relevant forms are completed.' 'The Council then listed its application to the Magistrates Court - the earliest date available for a hearing is 25 July. If the Council is successful, the Court will issue an Order to be served on the encampment. 'For any non-compliance with the Order, the Council will be required to engage with bailiffs to initiate eviction proceedings, this can add further delays before control of the land is again obtained. 'We share people's frustration regarding the process and we would be happy to liaise with the MP to lobby Government to work with the legal system on measures to allow these situations to be dealt with more quickly.'
Times of Oman
2 days ago
- General
- Times of Oman
Monday column: The gem in the rubbish bin
In my usual evening walks, I saw something glittering on top of a heap of rubbish under a flood of lights from a passing car. I guess it was a curiosity more than anything else that made me stop. I bent over to have a closer look competing with a couple of cats who were helping themselves to a meal of leftovers. I would normally not be seen rummaging a rubbish dump. I guess it was the idea of a mysterious gem lying ideal in the middle of the muck that got better of my good sense. I kicked the old cans, greasy plastic bags and all the nasty rejects of the houses in the neighbourhood but the 'gem' was no where to be found. I gave up after a couple of minutes and continued with my walk not realising that my trainers were covered with dirt. Looking back, why on earth would I want to look through a smelly bin in the dark? The action surprised me. It was also uncharacteristic of me. However, looking deeper at my background, as a kid, I used to dream of accidentally kicking the biggest diamond in the world while walking on the beach. It was not the money but the idea of making headlines that inspired the dream. I guess my early reading of books like King Solomon's Mines had something to do with it. Perhaps subconsciously, I might have been attracted by people who make their living from searching the bins. Perhaps the search of unknown from unlikely places might be behind it. It might not be that ridiculous. Sometimes, under all the refinement we put on the front, we really have some ridiculous habits that we rather not talk about. While I might have an urge or two to go into rubbish bins, others find the impulse to wake up in the middle of the night to raid the kitchen impossible to tame. People normally don't talk about it and they deny if they are 'caught.' I think we all go through different phases as we travel through the passage of life. We sometimes try to fill the voids in our existence with some excitements. I think searching for simplicity in a complex life makes us unhappy. When the tough gets going we are pushed to look for peace of mind in unlikely places. Once the bustle of life in the city gets the better of us, we become envious of the primitive routine of a villager. Yet, the funny thing, most villagers now want to be part of the city. That's why, I guess, most of the city big shots have a place in the countryside. It is an escape retreat when the pressure becomes unbearable. Even a weekend drive far away from home at a spot no one is around can be therapeutic. But with financial pressure mounting, a weekend away can put a dent on our coffers. Now, as write this column, I find the answer to my impulse to rummage the bins. Unknown to me then, it was my escape route. It might only have been a pin that sat on top of the rubbish. Like a flash in the pan, it served its purpose when I walked away from the 'two-minute expedition.'
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
‘Truly shameful': Nga Kor Ming blasts Opposition rally for leaving 20 tonnes of rubbish behind
KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 — Nearly 20 metric tonnes of rubbish were left scattered after yesterday's 'Turun Anwar' rally by the Opposition Perikatan Nasional here, drawing sharp criticism from Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming. In a pointed post on X, Nga blasted the organisers for their lack of environmental responsibility, revealing that cleaning crews from the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation had to work well into the night to clear the mess around the capital. He described the situation as 'deeply regrettable' and 'truly shameful', condemning the 'filthy attitude' shown at the event. Police reported that around 18,000 individuals attended the rally at Dataran Merdeka yesterday, which concluded peacefully without any untoward incidents.
