Applications are being invited for a new £75,000 fund, launched today by Zero Waste Scotland, to help transform local areas blighted by illegal flytipping.

Grants of between £500 and £10,000 will be available to community groups, landowners and land managers in the Fife area, who are consistently battling the problem of unlawfully dumped waste, such as furniture, TVs, white goods and garden and commercial waste.

Last year, over 50 applications were received, with the successful projects awarded grants to clear over 127 tonnes of waste from 21 problem sites across Scotland.

This included a £5,238 community initiative carried out by the Valleyfield Heritage Project to clear flytipped waste, including household waste, bottles and bikes, from the Valleyfield Wood in West Fife. With over 20 tonnes of waste removed and information boards installed to highlight the devastation flytipping can cause to the environment, the area is now being enjoyed and valued by the neighbouring communities.

The scheme is administered by Keep Scotland Beautiful on behalf of Zero Waste Scotland, with support from the Scottish Flytipping Forum, and the deadline for applications is 31 August 2012.

Elaine Devine, Service Manager, Enforcement and Commercial Operations, Fife Council said:

“Fife Council is delighted to support the ongoing initiative led by Zero Waste Scotland in it's attempt to reduce the impact of flytipping in our local communities. We would encourage local groups and landowners to apply for funding to tackle the problem and help to keep Fife an attractive, clean and safe place."

Catherine Wilson, Litter and Flytipping Manager for Zero Waste Scotland said:

"We had a huge response from the public following the launch of the fund last year, highlighting just how important it is to continue efforts to address flytipping.

“These grants will help to support those communities and landowners who are willing to take positive action to clean up dumping grounds and take measures to prevent it happening again.

“As we’ve seen from last year’s projects, this money can make a real difference to sites which have been blighted by persistent flytipping, and we look forward to welcoming applications from communities across Scotland.”

Derek Robertson, Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful said:

“As Scotland’s charity for the environment Keep Scotland Beautiful is pleased to support Zero Waste Scotland with this work to tackle the very real damage done to communities by the indiscriminate flytipping of waste. We encourage communities across Scotland to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the fund to improve their local environment.”

Applications to the fund can be made at www.dumbdumpers.org/smallgrantscheme