Essex ceremonial county dates back to the late Anglo-Saxon period, although there’s evidence of settlements from the Iron Age. And no wonder our ancestors were drawn here. Who could have resisted the allure of broad estuaries beckoning visitors to the hinterland? It’s such a pity fly tipping in Essex has become so common.
Now I’ll grant some of the wild lands had to give way to the villages, towns and cities of Essex. And I commend the authorities for preserving wild open spaces elsewhere they can. However, I will never accept the irresponsible habit of dumping rubbish in Essex. There are Council facilities available that make this kind of thing totally unacceptable.

Fly Tipping in Old House Lane, Harlow Essex (Stephen Craven BY CC 2.0)
Fly Tippers in Essex Watch Out – Police Are Looking for You!
The Essex police are on constant watch for illegal dumping in Essex, not least because it is a health hazard. Their website is clearly angry about the eyesore this causes, as should any decent right-thinking person. My heart goes out to them as they tirelessly deal with discarded drugs, used prophylactics, and even dog poo left by walkers.
Unfortunately many people in England discard cigarette butts and sweet papers because it is ‘such a little thing’. I find it hard to believe they don’t know they leave a marker for others to follow. And if this is not nipped in the bud, then fly tipping comes next. We each of us – you and I – have a duty to remove litter safely when we see it.
Essex Live News posted a bitter sweet article a while ago, about the 29 random items it discovered at a notorious fly tipping site in Essex. These included a sad rocking horse, a large pile of tyres, a used McDonald’s cardboard pie box, a plastic pool dingy, and a bag of clothes pegs in a plastic laundry basket.
Much of the contents of the dump site were recyclable. Incensed, Essex Live News found evidence of thousands of cases every year, although distressingly some areas did not record a single prosecution. Hundreds of thousands of pounds go into clearing fly tipping in Essex every year. Imagine what else the County could do with this hard-earned taxpayer money.

Litter on Every Patch of Grassland to Be Seen (Lynda Poulter BY CC 2.0)
Am I the Only One Against This Fly Tipping in Essex?
No not at all. I do believe there is a growing protest against the desecration of our landscape. We are living on borrowed time for as long as we ignore global warming leading to climate change, and the more extreme weather Essex is beginning to experience.
We absolutely have to – and I mean absolutely – shrink our carbon footprint by recycling everything we possibly can. Essex councils all have services to collect unwanted items and take them to reprocessing centres. If we ignore this opportunity, our grandchildren may face real consequences that radically change their lifestyle for the worse.
Environmental Protection Act Gives Essex Councils Teeth
The EPA Environmental Protection Act (1990) prescribes severe sanctions for fly tipping. Repeat offenders may lose their vehicles, even spend time in prison. However, police and council law enforcement officers are spread thinly. They need honest, decent citizens to report fly tipping in Essex as soon as they see it.
After all, every Essex city, town and village has its own recycling infrastructure in place. They are ready and able to assist with disposing of unwanted goods in a friendly, professional fashion. However, those who ignore the opportunity may end up with criminal records. This is such a stupid way to blot ones copybook, surely? Especially when fine facilities like these are available.

A Recycling Depot in South Woodham Ferrers, Essex (Terry Joyce BY CC 2.0)
It is Time to Stop This Nonsense in Its Tracks
You and I need to stop this nonsense in its tracks by setting the right example wherever we can. We should stop purchasing consumer goods packed in over-elaborate packaging, and refuse production from companies not following through on their climate commitments. Read Avery Associates reviews here.
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