SURREY county, district and borough councils have launched a fly-tipping crackdown to protect the countryside and save hundreds of thousands of pounds in clean-up costs.

In the new drive to tackle the problem, supported by the Environment Agency and Surrey Police, a co-ordinator will be appointed to lead the fly-tipping blitz and help councils share intelligence on fly-tippers and step up enforcement.

Councils will also consider whether new technology such as GPS mapping and portable cameras can be harnessed to help bring offenders to justice.

Fly-tipping can range from a black bag of household waste to large quantities of commercial or construction waste and is one of the most common forms of anti-social behaviour.

As well as being unsightly and a threat to the environment, it is expensive to clear up, costing Surrey’s councils nearly £1million in collection, investigation and disposal in 2014 to 2015. Residents are being urged to report fly-tipping wherever they see it.

Mike Goodman, Surrey County Council’s cabinet member for environment and planning, said: “Fly-tipping is a blight on the countryside and a drain on our resources and we’re determined to work together to clamp down on the problem.

“We don’t want law-abiding Surrey residents to have to bear the cost of clearing up illegally dumped rubbish which is why we’re stepping up our efforts to combat fly-tipping.”

Anyone caught fly-tipping risks an on-the-spot fine and, if convicted in a crown court, could face an unlimited fine or imprisonment.

Householders have a “duty of care” to make sure that any waste generated on their property is disposed of correctly. They could be prosecuted and fined if their waste ends up fly-tipped and they can’t show that they took reasonable steps to prevent it.

• For more information on waste disposal, fly-tipping and how to report it, visit recycleforsurrey.org.uk/flytipping.