Fly-tipping affects many communities in various ways and causes an unsightly scene, but for rural areas, it can have significant consequences
- Fly-tipping is the only crime where the victims (private landowners) have a legal responsibility to dispose of the waste
- Fly-tipping affects 67% of farmers and is estimated to cost them £47 million every year
- The average cost to clean up an incident is £800
- Only 1 in 600 incidents of fly-tipping lead to a prosecution
- The most common punishment is a fine of less than £430
- 997,553 incidents of illegal dumping in 2017-18
- Estimates of true costs of fly-tipping lie between £100m and £150m each year
The National Fly-tipping Prevention Group recommends the following steps if you find waste dumped on your land
- Exercise caution. Some fly-tipped waste can be hazardous. Do not open bags or drums and be aware that piles of soil may be contaminated or hide dangerous material.
- Record as many details as possible about the waste and when you found it. If possible take a photograph of the waste.
- Report the incident – do not move the waste or remove any evidence from it until the authorities have been notified.
- Secure the waste so that it cannot be interfered with or added to.
- Remember that fly-tippers are doing something illegal – they are unlikely to welcome people observing them. Do not put yourself at risk – if fly-tipping is in progress, call 999.
- When arranging for disposal, ensure that you use a registered waste carrier, as if it is dumped elsewhere you could be held responsible and face an unlimited fine.
- Ensure that you get documentation which includes the details of the waste and who is taking it away.
- If you take the waste to a licensed waste site yourself, make sure you are registered as a waste carrier.
- If the waste is hazardous then make sure that it is being carried and disposed of by those licensed to deal with hazardous waste.
- Keep full details of your clearance and disposal costs. Successful prosecution can mean that your costs incurred for the removal of the waste can also be recovered.
Source - Countryside Alliance website