Newly-released figures from Defra reveal huge scale of an issue blighting rural communities in England

Newly-released figures from Defra reveal huge scale of an issue blighting rural communities in England - CLA

Fly-tipping on Colin Rayner's farm in Berkshire last week, one of thousands of incidents occurring every week across the country

Farmers are continuing to pay the price of fly-tipping, the CLA has warned, as the latest Defra figures show there were more than one million fly-tipping incidents recorded on public land in England last year.

The statistics, released today, reveal councils dealt with 1.08 million fly-tipping incidents in 2022/2023, though these figures only account for waste illegally dumped on public land that has been reported to the authorities.

Many fly-tipping incidents occur on privately-owned land, painting an even more damaging picture of the financial burden and environmental impact fly-tipping brings.

Frustratingly, the figures also show that the number of fixed penalty notices issued was 73,000 in 2022/23, a decrease of 19% from 91,000 in 2021/22.

Country Land and Business Association President Victoria Vyvyan said: “These fly-tipping figures barely scratch the surface of a crime that’s blighting rural communities, with incidents on private land going unrecorded on a mass scale. Farmers and landowners bear the cost of removing rubbish and they pay on average £1,000 to remove waste. This is not a victimless crime - in some cases they have paid up to £100,000 to clear up other people’s mess or risk facing prosecution themselves. It’s not just litter blotting the landscape, but tonnes of household and commercial waste which can often be hazardous – even including asbestos and chemicals – endangering farmers, wildlife, livestock, crops and the environment. While courts can sentence offenders to prison or unlimited fines, prosecutions are rare and criminals clearly do not fear the system. We are calling for local authorities to help clear fly-tipping incidents on private as well as public land, while the various enforcement agencies must be properly trained and resourced. Without more progress farmers, not the criminals, will continue to pay the price.”