No one has been prosecuted for fly-tipping in the past 12 months despite concerns there has been a rise.

At the start of January, the cost of disposing of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) at all civic amenity sites across the Isle of Man increased following the introduction of new fees set by local authorities.

The update charges include significant fees for disposing of common household appliances.

That seems to have resulted in an increase in reports of illegally dumped items, from household appliances to construction waste, with many expressing frustration over the rising costs of legal disposal.

Recently, a sofa was dumped on countryside near Foxdale just a short distance from the civic amenity site while an old engine and other car parts were dumped in Castletown.

At the House of Keys this week Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse asked Chief Minister Alf Cannan what assessment has been made of fly tipping.

The Chief Minister no government department had undertaken such an assessment and the issue of fly-tipping rests with the police and local authorities.

He added: ‘The Department of Home Affairs has confirmed there has been no enforcement action taken place in the last 12 months with regards to fly-tipping on the Isle of Man.’

Mr Cannan said the issue was not going to be considered by the Council of Ministers any time soon and if the member had any concerns in his area then he should report it to the relevant local authority.

Bill Dale, founder of Beach Buddies, a charity that collects litter and rubbish across the island, called for a proactive approach to tackle the issue.

‘Fly-tipping is an increasing problem, not just on beaches’, he previously told Isle of Man Today.

‘We believe the best solution is to enforce serious penalties to act as a deterrent.’