Campaigners warned that the crimes pose a health risk and hit taxpayers in the pocket. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs’ figure of 1.08 million in 2022/23 is marginally lower than the 1.09 million the previous year but higher than the 980,000 in 2019/20.
Of all the incidents last year, 60% involved household waste (653,000) while the most common place for fly-tips was highways (40%). Local authorities undertook 536,000 enforcement actions in 2022/23, up 6% on the 507,000 in 2021/22.
In total, 73,000 fixed penalty notices were issued. London dominated the list of most notices accounting for nine of the top 10 hotspots.
Wandsworth led the way, dishing out 5,236 notices. Ealing and Enfield, also in London, were next with 5,192 and 5,096. The average court fine rose from £466 in 2021/22 to £526 in 2022/23 but, as a result of a drop in fines, the combined value reduced by 6%, from £837,000 to £785,000.
Diane Crowe, of circular economy specialist Reconomy, said: “Fly-tipping can endanger local habitats, damage the environment and attract pests.”
She added: “Greater education of the environmental and social impacts of fly-tipping can build awareness that it is not a zero or low impact activity.
“Information about how and where people can safely dispose of waste can also help.”
Ms Crowe stressed: “Ultimately, fly-tipping slows our journey to a circular economy and inflicts a cost on both the taxpayer and the environment.”
