NRCN Announces 6-Point Plan to Tackle Rural Fly Tipping

Tim Passmore, Chair of the National Rural Crime Network, today welcomed new fly tipping statistics which showed an overall decrease of 4% in recorded fly tipping across England and Wales, but warned that more needs to be done if we are to hit the Government’s target of eradicating waste crime by 2043.

Tim Passmore commented:

“Fly tipping is the anti-social behaviour of the countryside. Any decrease in recorded fly tipping offences is welcome but we mustn’t get complacent, and with over a million cases of fly tipping across England and Wales in 2021/22 there is still much more to do. Fly tipping is costing taxpayers, rural business, and private landowners millions of pounds each year and poses a threat to humans, wildlife and our environment. We believe our 6-point plan to tackling fly tipping can build on the progress made and help meet the Government’s ambitious target of eradicating waste crime by 2043.”

The NRCN six-point plan:

  1. Support and fund the creation of a National Rural Crime Unit to enable the pol
  2. ice to effectively collect and analyse data on fly-tipping in rural areas and to tack le organised criminal gangs profiting from fly-tipping in the countryside.
  3. Increase the maximum fixed penalty notices for small scale fly-tipping to £1000.
  4. Change the maximum fine of £50,000 to become a minimum fine to be imposed on repeat, large scale offenders.
  5. A greater use of powers to impound and destroy vehicles involved in fly-tipping.
  6. Introduce a national waste crime offenders list for individuals and companies.
  7. Support responsible private landowners who implement measures to prevent fly-tipping with financial support to remove waste.

DEFRA statistics exclude the cost of fly tipping on private land which is estimated to cost as much as £150 million a year.  Tim Passmore called on more to be done to support responsible private landowners:

“Fly Tipping on private land is punishing responsible landowners in the countryside who have taken fly tipping prevention measures. We want to see significantly increased fines from fly tipping used to support responsible landowners who are victims of fly tipping on their land”.

 

For the full summary and tables of the 2021/22 Fly tipping statistics then please visit:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fly-tipping-in-england/fly-tipping-statistics-for-england-2021-to-2022