Fines for fly-tipping are set to more than double in a bid to tackle the “deplorable practice”.
It’s one of a range of measures the Scottish Government aims to introduce to cut down on the dumping of rubbish and littering.
But Galloway and West Dumfries MSP Finlay Carson fears the new measures don’t go far enough.
Across Dumfries and Galloway there were nearly 1,498 incidents of fly-tipping between 2019/20 and 2021/22 but just 70 fixed penalties were dished out.
And last year only 19 people were fined for littering.
Mr Carson said: “It’s right that the circular economy should place responsibility squarely on the generator of the waste, as is the case in England and Wales.
“But the government has not chosen to remove liability from the person affected, which is a blow to landowners and victims.
“There must also be much more forceful pursuit of offenders.
“Across too much of the country it is far too easy to get away with dumping waste and I believe it must be much more vigilantly policed.
“There should be no excuse for the discarding of rubbish on the streets of our towns, countryside and even some of our rural villages in Galloway and West Dumfries.”
Among the measures being introduced as part of the Scottish Government’s National Litter and Fly-tipping Strategy are doubling fines for fly-tipping to £500.
New powers will see the owners of a vehicle where the occupants have found to have littered can also be fined, and there will be support for private landowners to help deter and deal with fly-tipping.
South Scotland MSP, Emma Harper, said: “Fly-tipping is a deplorable practice which blights communities right across Dumfries and Galloway and wider Scotland.
“Since my election, I have campaigned for more action to tackle fly-tipping which is always illegal and can also cause serious harm to livestock and wildlife in rural areas, like here in Dumfries and Galloway.
“I am pleased the Scottish Government has announced these much needed and long-awaited additional new powers to better address fly-tipping and to show that any case will be taken seriously.
“Our neighbourhoods are so often impacted by the selfish actions of a few, through reckless fly-tipping and littering, which impacts on everyone.”
“This strategy will drive further change in behaviours and the delivery of services. Enforcement is a key theme, and the strategy sets out robust commitments, including raising fixed penalty notices for fly-tipping to £500 and considering increasing fines further if required.”
