Cllr Iain Eadie
People living in Lichfield and Burntwood are being urged to dispose of unwanted fridges and freezers correctly.
Lichfield District Council said there had been an increase in the amount of white goods being left on pavements or dumped across the region.
The local authority said residents have been leaving items on the street for scrap metal traders to take away – but because scrap metal disposal centres are no longer allowed to accept these appliances, the council believes that rogue scrap metal collectors are removing the parts that can be easily sold, such as the condensers and motors, and leaving the remaining items or dumping them.
Cllr Iain Eadie
“Since metal recycling centres stopped accepting fridges and freezers, because of the need to deal with CFC gasses, we’ve noticed a sharp rise in how many are being left across the district.
“This is why we’re encouraging everyone to take unwanted items to Household Recycling Centres, or use registered waste carriers to take them away, to make sure their property does not come back to haunt them.”
The council is warning residents that placing items on the street for collection by scrap metal dealers is classed as fly-tipping and could lead to a fine or court action.
Bulky items such as fridges and freezers, as well as furniture, can be disposed of at Household Recycling Centres in Lichfield and Burntwood.
“We want to take this opportunity to remind local people that you need to make sure that if you pay someone to remove and dispose of any waste on your behalf that they are registered with the Environment Agency as a waste carrier,” added Cllr Eadie.
Lichfield District Council also offers a bulky waste collection service. It costs £15 to have one item removed, with extra items costing £6.20 each. A maximum of four items can be removed at a time. Discounts are available for anyone claiming housing benefit.
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