Environment Agency warns landowners of illegal waste dumping threat
Survey in 2023 finds that 85 per cent of landowners and farmers affected by small-scale fly-tipping, and 20 per cent by large-scale fly-tipping.
The Environment Agency (EA) has issued a warning to property and landowners to remain vigilant against the growing threat of waste crime. According to the EA, privately owned property and land, particularly in rural areas, are increasingly the targets for illegal dumping sites.
A survey conducted by the EA in 2023 revealed that 85 per cent of landowners and farmers reported being affected by small-scale fly-tipping, while 20 per cent experienced large-scale waste dumping on their properties. These findings align with research from the National Farmers Union (NFU) in June 2024, which indicated that 85 per cent of respondents felt like the fly-tipping problem has either remained unchanged or worsened over the past five years.
NFU Vice President Rachel Hallos said that the results were ‘no surprise’, although ‘it’s shocking and no exaggeration to say that fly-tipping is a constant blot of the landscape’.
Responses to the EA’s National Waste Crime Survey also showed that affected property or landowners could face costs ranging from £100 to more than £200,000 to clear the illegally dumped waste from private premises.
Steve Molyneux, Environment Agency Deputy Director of Waste Regulation, commented: “Our environment is a precious resource and one we need to guard now and for the next generation, but there are networks of criminal gangs operating across the country just waiting to spoil it for everyone.
“They may offer owners cash to store waste at their property or on their land, promising to remove it later. They won’t. Some don’t ask. They break in, dump waste they’ve illegally collected and disappear.”
The EA estimates that waste crime currently costs the English economy an estimated £1 billion annually through lost taxes, environmental degradation, social harm, and disruption to legitimate businesses. It suggests that illegal waste amounts to approximately 34 million tonnes, enough to fill four million skips each year.
Environment Agency recommendations
Property and landowners are urged by the EA to take several precautionary steps to protect their assets:
- Secure premises: Regularly check and secure any empty land and property.
- Tenant vetting: Conduct thorough checks on prospective tenants to ensure they comply with waste management regulations.
- Report suspicious activity: Report any illegal waste dumping to the Environmental Agency’s 24-hour incident hotline: 0800 80 70 60.
