Fly-tipping situation remains ‘grim’ as latest statistics shine spotlight on the crime
There has been a rise in the crime in the East
Latest government statistics released today show there were more than a million incidents of fly-tipping on public land in 2022/23 in England including more than 78,000 in the East of England and 83,000 in the East Midlands.
The figures for every local authority area in England can be found on the government website here. They show a 1% drop in incidents across England but there has been a rise in fly-tipping across the East with nearly 7,000 more fly-tips across the region.
The statistics do not include incidents of fly-tipping on private land – which is the responsibility of the landowner to clear, at personal cost. Therefore, the true volume of fly-tipping is significantly higher than the statistics released today suggest.
Responding to the latest figures, Country Land and Business Association (CLA) Acting Regional Director for the East, Mark Riches, said:
“The reality is that incidents of fly-tipping remain worryingly high and there is simply not enough of a deterrent to stop people committing the crime.
“The criminals carrying out these acts do not fear prosecution as far too many of them get away unpunished. We need consistently high fines being handed out on a regular basis if we are ever to see a meaningful drop in the number of incidents.
“Today’s statistics do not even include fly-tipping on private land, where landowners have to pay for the clear up of the dumped waste or face being prosecuted themselves. Some of our members encounter fly-tipping on their land on a near weekly basis and the cost of getting this removed often runs into thousands of pounds. They are a victim of crime – and that comes at a high price. How can that be right?
“It is not just the cost. The environmental impact of dumped waste should not be forgotten with the risks the rubbish can pose to farm animals, wildlife and habitats.
“Time will tell if government efforts to reduce fly-tipping – such as removing charges for disposal of DIY waste at recycling centres – will have any impact. But the situation currently remains pretty grim.”