The environment watchdog is recruiting fly-tipping spotters after a dramatic surge in complaints about illegal waste dumping in urban areas.
The Environmental Protection Department said the move aimed to send a clear message to offenders that they were 'being watched'.
District councillors will be invited to join spotters when the scheme is launched initially in two or three urban black spots.
'Unlike the smoky vehicle spotters, these fly-tipping spotters will have to provide more information and may need to testify in court. We will be offering them some training before they take up the voluntary job,' said department assistant director Benny Wong Kam-yiu.
A total of 3,375 complaints about fly-tipping were received last year, an increase of 193 per cent over 2005, of which about 900 cases were related to urban areas. Often, the waste dumped in streets is generated by nearby building renovation projects, the department said. Although much refuse from urban fly-tipping was removed the following day by dumpers after receiving a complaint, the department estimates it clears a remaining 24 tonnes of waste every day.
In some case, officers found complainants were in fact offenders who wanted to avoid paying a waste disposal fee that was introduced in January last year.
