PILES of fly-tipped rubbish may start filling the streets of Colchester from Monday when a new crackdown begins at the county’s tips, it is claimed.

Essex County Council will attempt to stop some DIY, construction and all business waste being dumped at recycling centres.

Those who try to discard business waste at recycling centres, such as in Shrub End and West Mersea, can avoid waste charges if successful.

But the concern is people could resort to fly-tipping to continue avoiding charges.

Dave Harris, ward councillor for Shrub End and Berechurch, said: “Council staff deserve to be treated with respect and I can see the frustration of 20 minutes waiting in a queue and then being turned away.

“My guess is also that there will be a flood of rogue flytipping which will impact on Colchester Council costs, and a blot on our local landscapes in the community.”

The county council has taken the tougher stance to cut down on illegal dumping at the centres which costs taxpayers hundreds of thousands of pounds in disposal bills.

The council can also be fined if too much waste is taken to tips.

Research by the council revealed the amount of DIY and construction waste being taken to tips has risen 50 per cent in two years with “man with a van” operators accused of offering cheap rubbish clearance and then taking it to the tip and pretending it is household waste.

The council also accused property developers and those in the home improvement trade of “swamping” sites.

A spokesman for the council said: “By law, council-run recycling centres are only for use by residents bringing in household waste from their own property.

“Businesses exploiting these public facilities to avoid paying waste disposal costs have pushed Essex County Council to introduce new rules to ensure that queues, congestion and site safety are improved for residents.

“Business waste of any kind is strictly prohibited from all Essex recycling centres.”

From Monday, vans and multi axle vehicles will be banned from 12 sites including West Mersea, Witham, Dovercourt, Lawford and Kirby-Le-Soken.

Vans at others will be “scrutinised” with limited household DIY waste allowed.

Simon Walsh, the county county councillor responsible for waste and environment, said: “The taxpayer cannot continue to pick up the bill for businesses which don’t dispose of their waste properly.

“These operational changes will stop people unlawfully disposing of business and trade waste at recycling centres at the expense of the taxpayer, while still providing the facility for residents to dispose of their legitimate DIY waste when carrying out ad-hoc work at home themselves.”

Officials are urging anyone who witnesses illegal dumping to inform councils or police on 101.