Fly-Tipping is a Serious Issue Which Needs Addressing

Each year, there are a shocking 900,000 reported fly-tipping incidents across the UK and according to figures published earlier in the year by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), there were more than one million incidents of fly-tipping in England during 2016 and 2017.

Since then, there has been action in the fight against fly-tipping and there have been many successful prosecutions made by local councils. However, whilst there has been a 28% decrease in fly-tipping prosecutions, instances of fly-tipping are actually on the rise – meaning that people are still illegally dumping their waste, but more often than not, they are getting away with it.

The estimated cost of fly-tipping for local authorities in England in 2015/2016 was £49.8 million, demonstrating the severity of the problem and how this crime needs to be stamped out.

With such a huge impact on the environment and the taxpayer, it’s a problem that needs to be addressed urgently; leading waste-management provider, HIPPO, and the Local Government Association (LGA), which represents councils want to see the implementation of a more effective legal system to help catch fly-tippers.