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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Sarah Marsh

Record number of English and Welsh councils use private firms for litter fines

Waltham Forest Defra
Bin bags and other rubbish on a street in Slough, Berkshire
People who spoke to the Guardian complained of being fined for feeding birds, for putting their bins out at the wrong time, and being falsely accused of fly-tipping. Photograph: Maureen McLean/Shutterstock

A record number of councils in England and Wales are using private companies to issue fines for littering and fly-tipping amid concern that some contractors are adopting unscrupulous tactics to profit from people.

Littering penalties are set to rise as part of a crackdown on antisocial behaviour. The environment minister, Rebecca Pow, said the maximum amount people caught fly-tipping could be fined would more than double from £400 to £1,000. Those who breach their household waste duty of care could be fined £600, up from £400.

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