A HUGE pile of flytipping has been dumped on Canvey - and residents believe it is due to recent changes at the local tip encouraging more people to dump their waste.

Flytippers targeted Roscommon Way on the island last weekend, dumping tyres, bits of wood and metal near to the entrance of the RSPB nature reserve.

Canvey councillors and residents are saying this is due to people have no where to take the waste.

In October 2016, recycling centres across Essex brought in changes to prevent business waste disposal and improve the way recycling centres deal with household waste.

This means that the centres stop people taking a range of items including hardcore, plasterboard, bathroom items.

Dave Blackwell, Canvey Independent Party councillor for Canvey Central said the issue of flytipping is getting worse.

He said: “People dump rubbish in quiet areas and then the taxpayers are left with the bill of clearing up the mess, and it costs thousands of pounds.

“I have sympathy with people who say this is due to the changes at the tip.

“We all said when the changes were made we would see more flytipping.

“I don’t think that people have anywhere else to take their waste because of the restrictions and that it means people have to travel much further to dispose of the waste.”

Mr Blackwell said he thinks there are too many restrictions on what people can take to the recycling centres.

An island resident who asked not to be named said: “I saw the waste on my way home, but since you can’t take a van with waste to the Waterside Recycling Centre, this is the only way people can get ride of their waste.

“My husband has a van but gets questioned at Pitsea even though he can go there - maybe he should start flytipping as well.”

Castle Point Council told the Echo that the last pile of waste in Roscommon Way was removed on Monday and yesterday.

The spokesman added: “Having inspected the rubbish and having found a name and address of an electrical company, we have written to the company requiring them to respond within 14 days and explain why their company’s paperwork has been found in this waste.

“The last figures for flytipping in Castle Point for the period ending March 2018 show that 185 fly tips were removed within one working day of notification.

“For the same period last year 227 fly tips were removed.”

Residents should be reminded that if they pay a company and or tradesman to remove waste the resident is liable if and when any of their waste is dumped.

An Essex County Council spokesman said: “We disagree that there is direct link between the increase in flytipping and the restrictions introduced at recycling centres.

“The rise in flytipping has been an issue over many years, and pre-dates the changes implemented at the recycling centres.

“In fact the trend is almost identical to other parts of the country where rogue traders fly-tip waste to avoid the cost of legal waste disposal.

“We believe reintroducing the old recycling centre rules is not the answer and we need a more coordinated approach.”

Clearing up flytipping is the responsibility of the land owner.