MORE than 50 people have been traced who have illegally dumped their household rubbish at a recycling site at a Suffolk supermarket - and several have received fines.

MORE than 50 people have been traced who have illegally dumped their household rubbish at a recycling site at a Suffolk supermarket - and several have received fines.

But council chiefs said today persuasion was not working, and they were now forced to step up their efforts and take court action.

The news comes as the government revealed fly-tipping was costing councils almost £10,000 a day to clear up, but they can now recover these costs from the offenders if they can catch them.

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Margaret Beckett, said: “Thousands of tonnes worth of rubbish are left in the streets every year, leaving many urban areas looking dirty and neglected. If we want to improve the local environment in these areas, this irresponsible behaviour cannot continue.”

Suffolk Coastal has been dealing with problems at the recycling centre at Tesco, Martlesham Heath, which has been turned into a rubbish tip with dozens of black sacks of domestic refuse, boxes of junk and bags of garden waste being left every week.

“The problem is now getting out of hand, and we are having to regularly clear up the illegally dumped waste so that people are not put off using the recycling facilities,” said cabinet member Andrew Nunn.

“However, this is causing additional unnecessary costs to the council.

“There is clearly no excuse for this anti-social behaviour as Suffolk Coastal provides a comprehensive refuse collection service for householders and businesses within the district, as well as fortnightly recycling collections of paper and garden waste.

“The Foxhall household waste recycling centre is also less than half a mile away from this facility where household waste can be taken for recycling or disposal free of charge.

“It should be pointed out that rubbish left in this way could jeopardise the very existence of the recycling facility, as the Tesco management could view it as a detraction from the image of their recently expanded superstore.”

Suffolk Coastal will now prosecute anyone found fly-tipping waste at the recycling site. Courts can impose fines up to £50,000, a two year prison sentence, and confiscate and destroy any vehicle involved in fly-tipping offences.

“The Council has written to over 50 people who have left rubbish at these sites and has issued several £50 fixed penalty notices to offenders, but it appears persuasion is not working and we will need to begin to use the full force of the law,” said Mr Nunn.

Do you think the fines are stiff enough for people who dump their rubbish illegally? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail EveningStarLetters@eveningstar.co.uk