Darnall: Police taken on tour of Sheffield estate and told about fly-tipping and waste burning issues

At the moment, domestic waste is all that can be left at household waste recycling centres in Sheffield free of charge. Business waste cannot be disposed of there.

Sheffield Council's website states: “Commercial outlets and businesses must have a legal contract with a registered waste company and be able to provide evidence of how they legally dispose of their waste.

“This must be a waste transfer note or waste contract from a waste company or a receipt from a waste and recycling site. If it is a regular collection you may only need to do this once every year, your carrier should be able to advise and help you.

“You need to make sure that where you send your waste is licensed by the Environment Agency to accept it. The carrier should be able to supply you with a copy of the licence.”

“Make sure you see the schedule to the licence which states what type of waste the site is licensed to take. This is your specific duty under the law, to make sure your waste goes to a site licensed to take it.”

“Waste carriers carry a certificate of registration from the Environment Agency. You, as the producer, should keep a copy of this,” the website continues.

“There is a requirement to treat waste before it is landfilled. This is to reduce our reliance on landfills and ensure that any future landfilling has less impact on our health and the environment.”

But a recent South Yorkshire Police visit to Darnall has resulted in calls for a change in policy in a bid to reduce fly-tipping at the side of roads.

A Police Community Support Officer was taken on a tour of the city suburb with representatives from The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and environmental enforcement officers.

The PCSO was shown evidence of fly-tipping, the burning of waste and stripping.

Photos were then shared online, triggering calls for change.

Brad Ellis suggested the problem could be alleviated if public tips were opened “for vans as well as cars”.

SYRS (a not-for-profit community/ environmental service and a branch of Sheffessca Enterprises) posted: “Van owners need to put lots of pressure on Sheffield City Council and demand the council allows vans to enter public tips/ recycling centres.

“SYRS has requested the council several times to allow vans to enter recycling centres, unfortunately our requests have fallen on deaf ears. One group alone isn't enough 'pressure', lots of groups and individuals are needed.”

Jason Lawrence said: “The answer is basically pressure the government into stopping taxing skips.”