FEATURE
Some now feature thermal imaging and motion sensors, allowing detection even in unlit rural areas.
From hotspots to heatmaps
Behind the scenes, councils are embracing data analytics and mapping tools to make enforcement more strategic. Instead of blanket surveillance, they analyse patterns: time of day, vehicle types, recurring sites etc. and allocate resources to where they’ re most effective.
Hull City Council, for instance, recently adopted a system that combines camera data with citizen reports to generate heatmaps of dumping activity.
“ It’ s predictive policing for waste crime,” explains a spokesperson.“ We can see when certain areas are at risk and deploy
We’ re no longer reliant on chance sightings or nextday reports. The system notifies us in real time, and we can move fast.
mobile cameras or patrols before the problem escalates.”
Machine Learning models are also helping identify repeat offenders. By matching vehicle plates, waste types and even the brands of packaging found in dumped material, enforcement teams can link incidents together and build stronger legal cases.
Citizen tech
While councils upgrade their surveillance networks, the public is playing a growing role through mobile reporting apps. Platforms like ClearWaste, FixMyStreet and Love Clean Streets allow residents to photograph flytipping, tag the location and submit it directly to local authorities.
These reports feed into the same analytics systems that track camera data, helping councils www. intelligentcio. com
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