RESIDENTS are being warned they could face prosecution and a large fine if caught fly-tipping.

West Oxfordshire District Council is urging people not to dump waste in communal recycling areas.

The council’s officers have noticed a growing problem of fly-tipping recently following the closure of Oxfordshire County Council’s household waste recycling centres, due to coronavirus.

Facilities such as the one at Asda in Carterton are currently having to be cleared on a daily basis by the council’s waste team.

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Councillor Norman MacRae, cabinet member for the environment, said: “While we have some sympathy with residents who may have quantities of waste building up, we must emphasise that for everyone’s safety please refrain from dumping it in public spaces.

“This places an unnecessary additional workload on our cleaning teams and is not acceptable at any time let alone the current coronavirus situation.

“I would further advise that these sites are not for the disposal of commercial items, they are for household recycling materials.

“I would remind offenders that we are monitoring the situation closely.

“The law has not changed and anyone caught flytipping will face prosecution and a large fine.”