Shropshire Star comment: We should help catch the culprits
There will be people across Shropshire and Mid Wales who will scratch their head and wonder if their old fridge or freezer is among those dumped at a beauty spot near Shrewsbury.
And if they do, they ought to call Shropshire Council’s environmental health services and help officers to find out who dumped a mass of fridges, freezers and a caravan full of parts and household waste at Corbet Wood car park.
It is utterly remarkable that as spring bursts into life and the general public starts to enjoy the great outdoors, unconscionable individuals make unwarranted visits to offload waste. They not only despoil the beautiful natural environment but also cause needless work for officials who have to clean up the mess.
Officers believe the culprits were driving red Transit-type vans and those who might have get rid of household waste unwittingly can raise the alarm.
It is up to the police and the courts to dispense justice, though they need the help of the wider community in identifying those responsible. And whose conscience could not be pricked by the sight of a beautiful park that has been absolutely ruined by the dumping of waste.
Fridges and freezers have components that are harmful to life. They are full of plastic and metal while older fridges used to use a gas called Chloro-Flouro-Carbon or CFC. Newer models tend to avoid those due to them being harmful to the atmosphere and instead many use another type of gas called HFC-134a. The effects of those components on wildlife needs no explanation.
There ought to be harsh sanctions on those who are found guilty of dumping waste in our countryside. And householders who think they’ve got a bargain by offloading an old fridge or freezer for a tenner might also ponder this: if any of the items dumped are traced back to the original householder it is they, as well as the people who dumped them, who will be in trouble.
The people who dumped the fridges might be beyond reach. For they clearly have no sense of community or responsibility. However, others might take a lead. And those who do not take responsibility for the correct disposal of waste ought to think hard when they view the horrific picture of Corbet Wood’s car park.
Recycling facilities exist; we all have a duty to make best use of them.
