SURVEILLANCE cameras are being used as as Newport chiefs pledge to stop commercial flytippers dumping illegally.

A meeting of the transport and sustainable development forum yesterday concluded that domestic flytippers are only a small part of the problem facing the council.

One CCTV surveillance operation captured a white pick-up truck dumping waste in Pencarn Lane in February this year but shortly afterwards the camera itself was stolen.

The council is also using private investigators to track tippers. Stephen Davison, head of public protection and environmental services, said: "We purchased some CCTV cameras to allow us to capture people flytipping and were successful.

"The camera was well-hidden but unfortunately was stolen, but new equipment has been bought with which we can transmit from the site. "We have also used private investigators to track people who don't want to be tracked.

"People are dumping to make a profit, and some of them are on the edges of the criminal world.

"We have managed to trace a few people and we have listed them for current legal action.

"We are still pursuing this to convince people that if they want to dump waste then Newport is not the place to do it.

"And while there is evidence of domestic rubbish dumping, the largest amounts are done commercially.

"There are skiploads dumped that are the equivalent of several households and these people are making big money out of doing it. "It costs £14 per tonne to dump it legally, but if they dump it close to where they produce it then they don't have to pay a thing."

The forum chairman, Councillor Paul Cockeram, (pictured) said the council could also name and shame the offending firms.

"Every time we go out and clean up these areas, the mess is there again within a couple of days.

"We need to name and shame them - to say 'These persons have been dumping in this area'.

"I think the message has got to come out that we won't tolerate this any more. I've seen the whole contents of a house just dumped on the pavement outside the door. Dumpers, beware - we're after you." Four prosecutions under the 1990 Environment Act are pending.