A park in East London has been compared to an “apocalypse movie” after a huge pile of dumped rubbish was found. Petra Shahari, who is part of a local litter-picking group, was walking along a footpath in Beckton when she came across rubbish dumped on the path.
There were plastic water bottles, cans of energy drinks, crisp packets and bottles of beer scattered around the Newham park. The litter picker told MyLondon: “We have walked there several times over the past few years and every time we walk there we say, ‘this is horrendous’.
“Why is the council not doing anything? It’s not just small things, it’s sofas and TVs – that park is a mess.”
Mrs Shahari wonders if the rubbish was put there by a fellow litter picker who was trying to make a point. She said: “It just went on and on and on. There wasn’t anybody around, it’s not like we saw people doing it.
“So I don’t know how long it’s been there, or if it’s still there. I understand why somebody might have done it, especially if they were volunteers and were litter picking, but on the other hand they put the bottles there and because of the wind, there’s glass everywhere.
“It felt like an apocalypse movie, like what’s happened here? I’ve never seen anything like that, ever.”
Mrs Sharahi shared the images online and her posts have since gone viral, attracting dozens of comments from both bemused and disgruntled readers.
But this isn’t the only part of the borough that has attracted fly-tippers, as one resident living in the Plaistow area has consistently documented on social media. John Barr has resorted to posting pictures online of the random fly-tipping and piles of rubbish dumped on his street because he said it’s made the council install signs and cameras as a deterrent.
According to the council, the borough has seen a 25per cent reduction in fly-tipping since May 2022 and has introduced weekly recycling collections.
The council has expanded its enviro-crime team with rapid response teams now working every day of the week and resolving 90 percent of reported fly-tipping incidents within 24 hours.
Labour councillor Miraj Patel, deputy cabinet member for environment, said: “Through our Cleaner Borough campaign we are working with residents, schools, local businesses and community groups to tackle the scourge of fly-tipping and litter.”
