FORGET the arguments over slim bins, grey bins and recycling.

The real reasons that people fly-tip rubbish is because they’re either lazy or criminal.

Bolton has had a spate of fly-tipping over the last months, both at rural sites and around local towns. Wherever there’s a piece of land, be it accessible field or car park, you can bet that some scumbag will dump bags of rubbish, furniture and even the odd fridge there.

In spite of arguments about bins, bin collections and whether you can get to the Raikes Lane tip without owning a car, the reality is that certain individuals just decide to tip their rubbish where they fancy. And the result is that the town is regularly blighted.

The most recent report was of a pile of rubbish dumped in Winter Hey Lane, Horwich, mostly household waste like plastic bags and some electrical items. If the owner has no bin, they can apply for one from the Council — that’s not difficult.

Equally worrying and increasingly common is the dumping of builder’s rubble, probably from unscrupulous types who advertise “man and van”, take householders’ money and then just dump their van contents to create these messes.

The moral of that particular tale is only employ anyone to do this if you either know them yourself by established reputation or have references from other people who’ve used them.

It’s very easy to dismiss some of this random rubbish dumping as cultural – and there are always people quick to jump on that particular bandwagon in thinly disguised racism. This is not about races, it’s about choices and there are always people with no sense of community responsibility or personal pride prepared to fly-tip.

On the same subject, though not the same scale, we also need a tougher stance on the litterbugs who feel they can toss chewing gum, cigarette butts or crisp packets where they like.

One council in South Wales has taken a more pro-active approach and is publishing pictures of people confronted by litter wardens who have given a false name and address to avoid paying the £75 fine.

They are being named and shamed in a controversial move that is bound to be criticised for abusing their human rights. Well, what about our human rights? The right to live in a town uncluttered by litter and unfettered by mounds of dumped rubbish from the insanitary selfish.