Enough is enough! Welsh Government must take firm action against fly tipping
As figures about recorded incidents soar, more must be done to tackle the scourge of the Welsh countryside
Newly released Welsh Government figures show that fly tipping remains the scourge of the countryside and real action must be taken. The data for April 2021- March 2022 details 28,820 – the highest number of enforcement actions, since 2017-18 These recorded incidents of fly tipping have cost £1.93 million to clear. Fly tipping in Wales is increasing again, 73 percent of recorded incidents involve household waste.
“The truth about fly tipping is far worse than these figures reveal,” says CLA Cymru’s Nigel Hollett. “No account is taken of the thousands of fly tipping incidents on private land. Our own research has told us that two-thirds of private landowners suffer from repeated incidents. The average cost of fly tipping clearance is £800 per incident: one severe case cost a rural business around £100,000 to clear.”
“Fly tipped waste isn’t just unsightly but it can be hazardous to handle, to livestock to wildlife and the environment. Some hazardous waste requires treatment by experts – a very costly, time consuming and demoralising business.”
“Action is overdue from the Welsh Government to take action and invest sufficient resources to enable the authorities and police to investigate, detect and prosecute. The law must create a real deterrent to prevent fly tipping and enable landowners to be confident that the foul problem is not just left in their lap.”
It’s a complete injustice that private landowners who are victims are then subject to becoming a criminal themselves if they do not clear up – or pay for the clearing – of fly tipped waste on their land
“The Welsh Government produced its strategy A Fly Tipping Free Wales in 2015 and in 2021 consulted on proposals to tackle the problem. The release of these figures and the truth of the wider problem – indicate that a real action is far overdue.”