Wednesday August 26th 2026
Midlothian Council Leader Kelly Parry with Edel Ryan, Midlothian Council’s protective services senior manager, which includes responsibility for environmental health
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Farmers, local businesses and animal welfare organisations are backing Midlothian Council’s latest crackdown on fly-tipping, warning that illegal dumping is damaging livelihoods, harming the environment and putting animals at risk.
From discarded tyres and household waste to abandoned car batteries and plastics, fly-tipping continues to have a significant impact on landowners and businesses across Midlothian.
Private landowners cover the cost of clearing waste themselves, while animals and wildlife can be injured or killed by hazardous materials and rubbish left in the countryside.
Midlothian Council’s campaign, “Respect Midlothian: your rubbish is your responsibility,” aims to tackle the problem through awareness, enforcement and community action.
Between March and the end of July, council waste teams responded to around 160 reports of flytipping.
Council Leader Councillor Kelly Parry says “Fly-tipping is not a victimless crime. It spoils our towns and countryside, costs money to clear up and can pose a real danger to people, wildlife and animals not to mention the impact on farmers and local businesses.
“The vast majority of people in Midlothian dispose of their waste responsibly and take pride in their communities. It is completely unacceptable that a small minority continue to dump waste illegally.
“Let me be clear, we will not tolerate fly-tipping. We investigate incidents, use available evidence, including council CCTV where appropriate, and take action against those responsible. Offenders can face a £500 fixed penalty notice and, for the most serious cases, court fines of up to £40,000.”
Among those supporting the campaign is Audrey Dyer of Roman Camp Holdings in Gorebridge, where fly-tipping is a constant challenge for her family-run smallholding that is home to pigs, goats, alpacas and donkeys, among other animals.
Audrey, her brother Mark and dad Alex have been farming in Gorebridge for 22 years. Audrey says staff regularly remove plastic and other debris from animals’ mouths before they can swallow them. Abandoned car batteries and other hazardous waste can prove lethal, she says.
Also supporting the campaign is John O’Raw, whose family-owned local business Best Man with a Van, is a licensed waste carrier. Mr O’Raw is asking urging local people to visit the SEPA website, which you can find links to at www.midlothian.gov.uk/flytipping to make sure anyone they pay to remove waste is properly registered.
The council warned that if you don’t and your waste ends up being flytipped, you could face a significant fine.
While Ann Morrison, who runs Midlothian Hedgehog Rescue and Rehabilitation in Bonnyrigg, says she regularly rescues hedgehogs who get trapped in or eat flytipped materials and would die without medical intervention.
For more on reporting flytipping and disposing of waste responsibly visit www.midlothian.gov.uk/flytipping.
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