Councils are putting in place artificial intelligence (AI) cameras that can for the first time instantly identify fly-tipping and notify authorities to apprehend offenders.
In order to avoid having to manually sift through hours of recorded film when fly-tipping occurs, Birmingham this week turned on its first AI CCTV cameras that can identify photos of what appears to be trash that has been deposited and then alert council employees to the problem.
Westminster’s AI Cameras Aid in Offender Capture
The Westminster City Council has also installed AI cameras that can identify license plates so they can not only detect fly-tipping but also submit registration information to the DVLA to aid in the capture of offenders.
It does so despite worries that a rise in fly-tipping is being fueled by the cost of living problem. 1.13 million fly-tipping occurrences were reported in 2021, an increase of 16% from 980,000 in 2019–20.
Three of the AI cameras have been installed by Birmingham City Council in Aston, Erdington, and Edgbaston, all of which are fly-tipping hotspots.
A £45,000 subsidy from the government, intended to combat fly-tipping, helped fund the AI technology. The additional cameras will be used first as part of a test program before being integrated into a larger network of CCTV cameras placed throughout the city.
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Data-Driven Fight Against Fly-Tipping
The project’s project manager, Councillor Majid Mahmood, said that it will enable council employees to more effectively combat the blight of fly-tipping.
Additionally, Westminster is testing artificial intelligence (AI) cameras in three high-traffic areas to spot instances of alleged fly-tipping. City inspectors will then evaluate the data.
The teams will request drivers’ information from the DVLA after determining whether this has occurred. This could result in a fixed penalty notice (FPN) or, in serious circumstances, criminal proceedings. If the cameras are successful, they will be installed in additional borough locations.
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