A Newham councillor has criticised residents for illegally dumping household rubbish on residential streets, urging them to take greater responsibility for keeping their neighbourhoods clean.
Independent councillor Mehmood Mirza shared a video on TikTok showing piles of discarded household items on a pavement.
Addressing his constituents directly, he expressed frustration over the continued problem of fly-tipping and called on residents to make use of the council’s free waste collection services.
In the video, Mirza said he had spent the past six or seven years campaigning for residents to receive free bulky waste collections.
He questioned why people continued to abandon unwanted belongings on the streets when they could arrange for the council to collect them.
Residents Urged to Use Free Bulky Waste Collection Service
The footage showed several discarded items, including garden chairs, a chest of drawers and a child’s swing.
Mirza briefly stopped speaking to pick up the swing after it fell over before continuing his message.
He explained that residents could arrange to have up to six bulky household items collected free of charge by booking through the council’s website.
“You know what, you can book it online. Why do you have to do that?” he asked, pointing towards the rubbish behind him.
He added: “You can get six items picked up free of charge. Just go online, do your keyroll, book it online and have some pride where you live.”
The councillor also challenged residents who routinely blamed the local authority for the condition of their streets.
“You can’t just blame Newham Council for everything.
They have been doing it for you, and I am asking for unlimited bulky waste collection. You get three times a year, free collection,” he said.
Mirza encouraged residents to report incidents of illegal dumping whenever they witnessed them.
Towards the end of the recording, he was seen photographing the discarded items in preparation for submitting a report to the council.
Newham Introduces Wall of Shame to Identify Fly-Tippers
Fly-tipping has remained a persistent problem across Newham, which was labelled London’s ‘filthiest borough’ in 2021 after more than 160 incidents were recorded within a single week.
The council has since introduced additional enforcement measures to tackle the problem.
Earlier this year, it launched a campaign called the ‘Wall of Shame’, publishing CCTV footage of people suspected of illegally dumping rubbish in the borough.
The initiative also offers residents a £100 reward for identifying individuals featured in the recordings.
Mayor of Newham Forhad Hussain said the campaign was part of efforts to respond to residents’ demands for cleaner streets and stronger action against offenders.
“Fly-tipping has no place in Newham,” he said.
He added that the council wanted to make it more difficult for those responsible to avoid identification and encouraged residents to help recognise people captured in the footage.
Hussain said cooperation between the local authority and residents would help identify offenders and improve conditions across neighbourhoods.
Hillingdon Council Launches Separate Crackdown
Newham is among several London boroughs dealing with persistent illegal rubbish dumping.
Hillingdon Council has also stepped up enforcement, expressing frustration with residents who continue to abandon waste in public spaces and leave without facing immediate consequences.
One area identified as a recurring fly-tipping hotspot is outside the car park of St Anselm’s Church in Hayes, west London, where individuals have repeatedly been seen leaving bin bags.
The authority has published photographs of suspected offenders on its Facebook page, asking members of the public to help identify those responsible.
Last month, Hillingdon announced a tougher enforcement campaign, warning that offenders could receive immediate fines of up to £1,000 and potentially face prosecution.
Council Crushes Vehicle Used in Illegal Waste Dumping
As part of its enforcement operation, Hillingdon Council has also crushed its first vehicle linked to fly-tipping in the borough.
The vehicle, a Ford Iveco flatbed truck, was identified after being used to dump rubbish on a residential road in Ickenham.
The council’s anti-social behaviour team traced the vehicle through its CCTV network before locating and seizing it in Hayes.
It was subsequently impounded and crushed on September 3.
Councillor Adam Bennett, Hillingdon Council’s cabinet member for community, environment and enforcement, said the authority would use its enforcement powers against anyone found responsible for illegal dumping.
He said fly-tipping caused damage to local communities and the environment, adding that residents had access to free or affordable ways of disposing of unwanted waste.
Bennett urged the public to handle household rubbish responsibly and report incidents of illegal dumping to the council.
