Environmental council officers are urging people to dispose of bulky items responsibly or risk a fixed penalty fine.

This warning comes after a man paid two individuals to remove an old sofa, only for them to dump it somewhere else. A man paid two individuals to remove an old sofa, only for them to dump it somewhere else.

The size and weight of sofas, mattresses and other bulky waste items make them difficult to handle. This is why it is important that they are disposed of properly. Councils have outlined guidelines for the disposal of these items. These items be taken to a recycling center and are not for landfill.

The waste dumped on May Street in Foleshill was removed last week by environmental officers.

Environmental officers were called to the location where there was significant fly-tipped waste and before taking it away they managed to identify a possible culprit. Evidence they collected took them to a home, where a man had been duped into handing over an old sofa.

If people come to your home and ask you if they can remove a bulky item, it is your responsibility to verify they have the appropriate license. This will show you that they are reputable and legally registered to do so. If they do not show you their license, it is your responsibility to make sure they are aware that they are not legally allowed to remove the bulky item.

If a house is the victim of fly-tipping, the householder may be subject to a fine or court action if they are unsuccessful in identifying the perpetrators. .If a business is the victim of fly-tipping, the best option for them to pursue is through civil proceedings.

Cllr Abdul Salam Khan, Cabinet Member for Policing & Equalities, said: “People need to dispose of waste responsibly. Sofas, mattresses and other bulky items are regular fly-tipped items that cause a lot of frustration in local neighbourhoods for removing.

“Residents are fed up with the impact fly-tipping has on their neighbourhoods, and we know that many want to work with us whether it is report incidence anonymously to help us gather evidence or acting responsibly in disposing their rubbish,” said Cllr Khan.

The Council encourages anyone spotting fly-tipping happening in their areas to get in touch. Anyone can report fly-tipping incidents anonymously online or call 0808 5834333.

Disposing of unwanted items, including bulky waste, is easy on the Coventry City Council website.

The Council work in partnership with Emmaus Coventry and Warwickshire. As an alternative, you can do your own recycling by bringing your items to the Household Recycling and Reuse Centre.

Councils are working on a number of projects to recover and reuse materials, including the use of recycled waste textiles to create new insulation products.