A person who was recorded illegally dumping a mattress on the side of a road has been fined £1,000 ($1,293), the Cumberland Council reported.
Carlisle resident Emma Irwin was caught in the act on security cameras. This activity poses a physical threat to residents and a serious safety concern for drivers — not to mention the unpleasantness of having to see garbage in your neighborhood.
Garbage also hurts the environment. It does enough damage when it's in a landfill — contributing to the production of potent planet-warming gas methane — but it can also negatively impact ecosystems. When done at a commercial scale, fines for unauthorized dumping easily get into the tens of thousands of dollars.
|
Do you think fracking should be illegal in America? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Yes — everywhere 
If you're in the midst of replacing your mattress, remember that there are ample recycling services available.
The Mattress Recycling Council connects residents to appropriate facilities across California, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Oregon. Meanwhile, Bedr offers mattress pick-up services across the country. Options in the U.K. include The Mattress Recycling People, Mattress Recycling Ltd, and Matt UK.
Cumberland residents are able to report illegal dumping and other environmental crimes via the council's website.
"I must stress that Cumberland Council takes environmental crimes seriously," said councillor Denise Rollo, executive member for Sustainable, Resilient and Connected Places. "Every case of fly-tipping will be investigated, and individuals may face prosecution. We urge anyone contacted by the council regarding environmental offences to engage with us."
Locals were thoroughly annoyed by the news but not surprised.
"Why risk a £1,000 fine when she could have got it removed for £40 by the council with other items," said one community member.
"A £1,000 [fine] is not enough to deter the major fly tippers," said another. "It's costing some land owners thousands to remove dumped waste."
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
