Scott Bros, the Teesside-based recycling specialist, is urging householders to be vigilant when disposing of waste, following updated Defra statistics that reveal a rise in fly-tipping incidents across England.
During 2023/24, local authorities dealt with 1.15 million fly-tipping incidents, a 6% increase from 2022/23. Of this, 60% originated from households, rising to 688,000 cases, up 5% on the previous year. [i]
Regional figures show the North East recorded 25 fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 people, up from 24 for the previous 12 months. In Yorkshire and the Humber, incidents rose from 14 to 15 per 1,000 people.
However, last month Durham County Council reported a fall in reported fly-tipping cases, from 8,286 in in the 12 months up to June 2021 compared with 5,752 in 2024, citing a targeted crackdown on illegal waste disposal. [ii]
Between June 2021 and December 2024, it issued 181 fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for fly-tipping offences, a further 187 FPNs to unlicensed waste carriers, and 60 to householders who failed to ensure their waste was disposed of responsibly. This resulted in £47,190 in FPN fines, while 82 offenders were prosecuted in court, paying a total of £81,278 in fines and charges.
Peter Scott, a director at Scott Bros, is reminding householders of the dangers of using rogue waste carriers.
He said: “Too often, unlicensed carriers take a few pounds to remove waste, only to dump it illegally in back alleys, lay-bys, roadsides, or on open land which harms the environment, contaminates land and water, and has legal consequences for the who generated the waste.
“It’s the legal duty of householders to ensure their waste collector is licensed, otherwise they can face prosecution and fines.”
The Defra data shows highways remain the most common fly-tipping site, accounting for 37% of all incidents (427,000 cases) while large-scale fly-tipping is on the rise, with 47,000 incidents involving ‘tipper lorry load’ size or larger, an 11% increase. The cost of clearing these incidents reached £13.1 million in 2023/24.
Despite 528,000 enforcement actions, the number of FPNs issued fell by 5% to 63,000, and court fines declined by 8% to 1,378 cases.
Peter Scott added: “The best way to protect yourself is to always check that the person collecting your waste is a licensed carrier who will dispose of it responsibly. Always ask for proof of a waste carrier’s licence, which can be verified online via the Environment Agency.”
To search for licensed waste carriers, visit: https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/index