Fly-tipping in England Hits Record High, Costing Millions to Clean Up

Fly-tipping Incidents Reach Record High in England

Local authorities across England dealt with a staggering 1.15 million fly-tipping incidents in 2023/24, according to the latest government data from the Environment Department (Defra). This represents a 6% increase from the previous year and the highest level recorded since the current reporting method was introduced six years ago.

The figures only capture fly-tipping incidents on public land, excluding the vast amount of illegally dumped waste on private land, primarily affecting farmers and rural businesses. These individuals face significant stress, disruption, and staggering costs to clear the illegally dumped waste.

Household waste accounted for a staggering 60% of fly-tipping cases, with over 688,000 incidents involving illegally dumped rubbish from homes. This includes everything from black bags of waste to discarded furniture, carpets, and DIY materials.

Pavements and roads were the most common locations for fly-tipping, accounting for 37% of incidents. The Independent has compiled a map showcasing the number of fly-tipping incidents in each local authority in England.

Croydon in South London topped the list with over 35,000 fly-tipping incidents recorded between 2023 and 2024. In contrast, Oadby and Wigston in Leicestershire reported the least number of incidents.

Nearly a third (31%) of fly-tipping incidents involved waste equivalent to a small van load, while 28% were the size of a car boot or less. However, a concerning 4% of incidents involved waste equivalent to a tipper lorry load or larger, costing councils a staggering £13.1 million to clean up.

Despite the alarming increase in fly-tipping, the figures reveal a slight decrease in enforcement actions, with both fixed-penalty notices and court fines declining compared to the previous year.

Environment Secretary Steve Reed responded to the figures, stating that fly-tipping is a disgraceful act that trashes communities and its increase is unacceptable. He pledged that the government will crack down on fly-tipping, punish offenders, and force them to clean up their mess.

The new Crime and Policing Bill empowers ministers to issue statutory guidance to councils to drive up fly-tipping enforcement, aiming to tackle this growing problem and protect communities from the detrimental effects of illegal waste dumping.