00:00For many people living in parts of Bootle and Litherland, opening a gate into a rear alleyway can reveal a
00:06familiar sight.
00:07Sofas, mattresses, televisions, fridges and black bin bags are among the items regularly being removed by Sefton Council's street cleansing
00:15teams.
00:16During a recent day spent with council workers, crews encountered dumped furniture, children's toys, electrical goods and even a commercial
00:23ice cream freezer in just a handful of locations.
00:27The scale of the problem is significant. According to Sefton Council's street cleansing service, teams clear around 15 to 20
00:35tonnes of rubbish across the borough every week.
00:38In council-owned alleyways alone, 11 tonnes were removed during one recent week.
00:43Marcus Burke, Sefton's operation manager for street cleansing, says enforcement is a major part of tackling what he describes as
00:51an epidemic of fly-tipping.
00:52He says crews often clear an alleyway, only to find it filled with rubbish again within hours, leaving workers and
00:59residents frustrated.
01:01Environmental Enforcement Officer Andy Hearn says investigations often begin by searching waste for evidence, such as letters, packaging or address
01:09labels.
01:10He says that information can help officers identify those responsible and pursue action where appropriate.
01:16The council says it has stepped up its rear-entry alleyway clearance programme in July 2025.
01:22Since then, it says more than 580 tonnes of rubbish have been removed from those locations.
Comments