Disgust as a mountain of rubbish dwarfs recycling containers at Broadstairs railway station

Spot the recycling containers Photo Mike Garner

Residents and councillors have expressed their disgust after a massive pile of waste items was dumped at the St Peter’s Park Road side of Broadstairs railway station.

The huge load was photographed and captured on video today (December 28) by shocked resident Heidi Rogers who says it “stopped me in my tracks.” Her picture and film shows the heap of boxes, papers and bagged rubbish dwarfing the recycling containers at the site, which had been emptied just before Christmas meaning the waste had been dumped in the days since.

Heidi reported the eyesore to local councillors. St Peter’s ward Green councillor Mike Garner contacted Thanet council’s street cleansing team who were due to tackle the mound today  (December 28) but the pile remains, with the wind spreading it even further afield.

Cllr Mike Garner

Cllr Garner said: “It’s very disappointing to see so much rubbish dumped by the bins in the station car park after Christmas.

“There’s so much there that the bins can no longer be seen! Unlike some parts of Thanet, most people in this area have recycling facilities so there is little excuse for most of it. “Saying that, the council could have anticipated that there would be a build up of rubbish at sites like this and been better prepared to collect it across the district.

“I know the Street Cleaning team work hard all year to keep these areas cleared but if there aren’t enough operatives working they’ll be fighting a losing battle all week.”

Fellow Broadstairs Independent councillor Ruth Bailey says although the rubbish heap is not in her ward, she has also reported it and says she has requested CCTV at the site.

She said: “I just cannot comprehend how people can keep adding to an ever increasing pile of rubbish when it’s clear there is no further capacity. This isn’t recycling, it’s fly-tipping and people can be fined if their details are found among the detritus.

“Much of the rubbish I have seen in this spot in the past has been trade waste which should be disposed of commercially. I was informed that these bins were emptied just before Christmas, so this atrocious mess has built up since then.

“The loose rubbish is blown all around the surrounding area making it difficult and time consuming to clear and causing environmental damage. Thanet District Council has said on social media that they will collect additional residential recycling during the Christmas period if it is stacked appropriately next to bins so there is no excuse.

Heidi’s photo shows the sheer scale of the rubbish

“The main household recycling centre at Margate is also open and it takes little more effort to take it to the tip. It just needs a little common sense to be applied.

“If the public recycling bins are full, either hold on to the rubbish for a while or use alternative arrangements. I have reported this to TDC for clearance as I know other councillors have.

“The use of CCTV would be useful at this site to monitor the situation and I continue to c all on TDC to install cameras here.”

Cllr Garner says he has also requested CCTV, even if only on a temporary basis.

He added: “A few of the other traders in the town who dispose of their rubbish responsibly are getting fed up with it. We need more enforcement.”

There are no changes to household waste and recycling collections over the holiday period this year. Bins can be put out by 6am on the usual day of collection.

Report fly-tipping here

51 Comments

  1. There is no excuse for this type of behaviour at all. Those responsible can’t have any pride in the area they’re living in, just despicable. Makes my ***s boil 😡

  2. I think the problem here is people see a bit to start with and think “mine will be ok” and it goes on an on and on.
    CCTV would be a very good idea to stop the first bit. I have never dumped rubbish in my life.

  3. Being devils advocate, maybe people haven’t got the storage space to keep their rubbish until the next doorstep collection. It’s known this is a problem area, so perhaps a good idea would be to have a daily collection here.

    • Carole,
      That is absolutely, totally, completely no excuse what-so-ever!
      This is laziness at the very least, and should be investigated with a view to those found responsible being prosecuted.
      You may play Devil’s advocate all you like but this is simply not acceptable for any reason that can be thought of.
      The maxim is ‘keep ‘YOUR RUBBISH’ at home from where it originated ntil it can be got rid of in the correct manner, no ifs, no buts.
      You can probably guess this behaviour peeves me somewhat.

    • There can be very very very few people that don’t have room to flatten down a couple of boxes for a few days !!

      • They couldn’t even be bothered to flatten down these boxes! They could have put the wrap inside them, flattened them as much as possible, then tied them together to stop them flying around so easily.
        Neat piles like that would have been so much better!

    • It’s a fly-tipping area because it’s hidden away. Most of that rubbish is boxes from one or more of the traders who dump there. It’s disgusting filth and unnecessary. They don’t want to pay for trade waste collections. Cameras need to be monitored as well as put in place. TDC need to check all traders have adequate waste collections.

    • Couldn’t agree, people don’t have the space for extra Christmas recycling. Plus recycling bins only get collected every other week so I imagine they are very full, I know mine is. Anyway the council sell the cardboard and paper so surly they would be happy to see a extra large pile?

      • Kathy just to inform you the council only break even in disposing of paper and cardboard, however all other recycling costs money. unfortunately This kind of missaprehension adds to the issue. The old maxim if a bin is full do not dump next to it applies

        • If cardboard is not profitable for the local council then perhaps Amazon should foot the bill. They are responsible for most of the packaging in Thanet and they probably pay zero tax in this part of Kent.

    • I have many extra bags and lots of cardboard all kept in my hallway until my kind neighbour takes it to the Margate tip on Friday

  4. TDC could/should have cleared this in minutes. They have an ‘inactive’ hit squad.
    It’s all part of our Council Tax breakdown. (It’s going UP again in 2022, C-Tax).
    Of course, no Senior Officers on duty this time of year.

    • Nothing to blame TDC for at all.
      This is down to anti social, law breaking lazy residents or business owners.
      It was clear of crap shortly before the Christmas break, this is simply law breaking.

  5. Maybe a couple of skips then ? delivered Christmas eve and removed the day after boxing day.
    Less work/costs me thinks.

  6. Ruth Bailey says “The main household recycling centre at Margate is also open and it takes little more effort to take it to the tip”.

    Is she assuming that everybody in Thanet owns a car? She should try entering the recycling centre on foot or bicycle and then she will realise how dire our facilities are

    • I was referring to the people who, in the main, drive to the station car park to dump their rubbish. If people can drive to the station they can drive to the tip.

      • Thanks for clarifying, Ruth. Sadly, for a lot of people the KCC tip is exclusive, inconvenient, inaccessible and deficient. They don’t even recycle plastics at the local tips.

        Out of interest, did anybody anticipate that this car park would be turned into a dumping ground when there were no trains running and no footfall? Were there no police patrol cars doing spot checks? Were no light sensors installed? Has anybody thought of using number plate recognition technology to monitor the vehicles that enter this area?

        • Pretty sure the police have more important things to deal with. As for detectors, anpr and prosecutions, the council can’t manage that for areas that have rubbish dumping problems all year round , secretly they’re probably not too unhappy with just needing to visit areas where loads of stuff has been dumped.
          The problem has nothing to do with the authorities , purely down to the behaviour of those dumping the rubbish. There’s no will to catch or deal with such people , largely to do with the costs of obtaining sufficient evidence , pursuing a successful prosecution and then enforcing any fines imposed.
          Its all just part of life.

  7. Should say ‘Mounting pile of recycling at recycling centre’ not rubbish….. Maybe our council needs to arrange more regular pick ups and more recycling centres – they removed the ones at the supermarkets we used. We don’t want to leave that bloody red recycling sack out on our street that gets soaked/blows our papers all over the street and is only collected once a fortnight. It’s ridiculous the contempt that people who are desperately trying to do the right thing and recycle are treated by the council. I

  8. Rubbish bins down Broadstairs seafront were all overflowing yesterday too and obviously hadn’t been emptied for some time.

    • As are the ones in both the Memorial Park by the station and St. Peter’s recreation ground. One in the rec was overflowing a week ago so clearly not been emptied as the same rubbish is still there. We have gutters full of all manner of rubbish including mulched down leaves, polystyrene and Christmas wrapping.

  9. Whilst I don’t condone this behaviour, the size of our bins is reduced and collection of those bins more infrequent, no regard given to the size of family in the house. The municipal dump requires a car which some seem to assume everyone has. Large amounts of rubbish should be expected and planned for, rather than the let them eat cake attitude of folk with large enough homes to store rubbish for weeks on end, or cars to take it away.

  10. Friends Of Cliftonville state the same happened in Athelstan Road/Ethelbert Road – yet again blaming TDC. It is clearly the residents fault the streets get the way they do. They all have vehicles as all the affected roads are packed with cars. Instead of dumping it in the street they should take it to the tip – no excuses at all.

  11. Well at least it’s not being blamed on “rogue landlords” as would be case if it were cliftonville, instead just a case of people doing what they will.

  12. I would never condone this fly tipping but did notice last Sunday that all the large bins along the lower esplanade at Ramsgate were absolutely crammed full. I assume rightly or wrongly that they had not been emptied for some time.

  13. TDC refuse to collect recycling from our street so this is our only option for cardboard recycling. It regularly gets full, but is also regularly emptied. Someone just took a picture on a day it was full. Busy bodies looking for something to complain about.

  14. Whilst it is apalling the whole area invites dumping.The streets everywhere s are full of detritus weeds beer cans cigarette butts etc and many streets unswept for years.Where has the road sweeping vehicle gone.
    The standard set by our neglecting council sets the low standard.

  15. I fill sorry for the binmen/ladies who have to clear up after these scum fly tip.

    People moan about public bins being full why do people take so much rubbish out with them ? I very rarely use a public bin when out walking my dog or out shopping.

    People abuse the free waste collection I have seen people get out of cars and ram black sacks into public bins, have seen people walk out of their homes with black sacks and put them into public bins. As well as shop owners putting their shop waste in public bins. Yes TDC could check every business has a waste license. Dont blame TDC blame your fellow neighbour who doesnt give a toss about thanet.

    Welcome to thanet in the 2020’s the problem is your neighbours.

  16. How about a surveillance camera at the station car park? Then prosecute rigourously and ask for damages to go to the Town Council.

  17. Went passed Ethebert rd at the northdown rd end on the 26th must have been around 100 black sacks dumped at the end of the road.
    The problem is all over thanet again as some else said it’s your neighbours that are doing it

  18. I’ve noticed Broadstairs Station it’s self looking scruffy and a place where drinkingvand gathering taking place.
    Why has this happened.?..surely keeping a couple of platforms tidy is not a huge , difficult task. So the rubbish dumped at the back the station is just another off shoot of this.
    I hope councillors act on this , and insist that it is cleaned and prevented fro. Re occurring?

    • The St.Peter’s Park Road car park is TDCs not the responsibility of SouthEastern or Network Rail. The station car park is the one at the front, not at the rear.

  19. No sure if it still is but the recycling facility at Sainsburys was closed off , so won’t have helped given the festive period.

  20. Why cant people keep a few sacks of paper/cardboard at home until the bin collected ? They found room for it when things were wrapped or inside them but as soon as the gift is taken out they have no room ! So fly tip.

    I dont get the blaming of TDC these people had room for this waste before the 25th dec but not on the 26th some how people blame TDC. Think about it people had these boxes etc round their xmas tree or hided somewhere.

    • It’s not all fly tipping. The black bags look like landfill waste and that’s certainly fly tipping; but the cardboard boxes are recyclable so they count as donations.

  21. This should never be allowed to happen so close to Broadstairs Medical Practice. these bins bins should not have been put there in the first place the site has never been tidy in all the times I have visited the doctors there, disgusting .

  22. Fly tipping means illegally dumping waste. If its not in a bin/skip/recycling bin etc then it’s dumped waste. Simple as that.

  23. People choose to order more goods online, from the likes of Amazon, Wish, eBay, etc, instead of shopping less and shopping locally.

    People choose to dump / fly-tip their excess cardboard illegally by not using their doorstep collections properly (TDC have said they will accept extra recycling appropriately presented even if it is in addition to the usual household container over Christmas) or, where able, going to the tip.

    But still TDC are expected to clear this mess up. And they do.

    But it costs money in extra vehicle time, diesel costs, and especially staff time to clean up after those who choose to act irresponsibly.

    And this year our TDC operatives have not had any more time off than a normal weekend – collections are being made as normal on Monday and Tuesday despite these being bank holiday days (which no doubt will cost TDC more because extra will need to be paid for bank holiday working).

    In the last year TDC have already had to increase the number of weekly rounds because of the increase in waste households are producing caused, it seems, by the increase in online shopping brought about by the pandemic.

    And those extra costs are paid for by all of us through our council taxes (of which TDC only received 11% last year, the rest goes to other councils and services).

    And this is why it is important that fly-tippers are reported, caught and prosecuted.

    • I wonder how much tax Amazon is paying to TDC. If the answer is zero, and if it is a hit-and-run service, then Amazon should demonstrate some corporate social responsibility and help with the recycling of all the extra cardboard generated by online shopping. Amazon has already crushed a lot of local shops and now it is adding insult to injury by causing council taxpayers to pick up the waste disposal cost.

Comments are closed.