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The latest update from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) finds that there were 1.08 million fly-tipping incidents in 2022/23, a decrease of one per cent from the 1.09 million reported in 2021/22.
Of the fly-tipping incidents in 2022/23, 60 per cent involved household waste (653,000) and the most common place for fly-tips was highways (40 per cent).
Local authorities carried out 536,000 enforcement actions in 2022/23, an increase of 29,000 actions (six per cent) from 507,000 in 2021/22, issuing 73,000 fixed penalty notices (FPNs). London dominated the list of most FPNs with Wandsworth issuing 5,236 through the year – the most of any local authority.
The average court fine increased from £466 in 2021/22 to £526 in 2022/23 but thanks to a drop in fines, the combined value of these fines reduced by six per cent from £837,000 to £785,000.
Diane Crowe, Group Head of Sustainability at circular economy specialist Reconomy, commented: “Fly-tipping is a serious issue facing local communities in this country and this DEFRA data demonstrates how widespread this crime is.
“Fly-tipping can endanger local habitats, damage the environment where waste is dropped and attract pests. The prevalence of fly-tipping also demonstrates the improvements that can be made in our nation’s waste management both in terms of encouraging better habits and developing the infrastructure that can accommodate greater recycling.
“Greater education of the environmental and social impacts of fly-tipping can build awareness that fly-tipping is not a zero or low impact activity. Information about how and where people can safely dispose of waste can also help direct people to the relevant waste management centres, and the importance of proper disposal should be re-iterated.
“Ultimately, fly-tipping slows our journey to a circular economy and inflicts a cost on both the taxpayer and the environment. Working collaboratively we can progress towards eliminating this crime and developing a more sustainable waste management culture in this country.”
For more information on fly-tipping statistics for England 2022 to 2023 and league tables, click here.
