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Local environmental quality: fly-tipping

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Defra is committed to dealing with improving local environmental quality and tackling waste crime, such as "fly-tipping". The illegal disposal of waste is an anti-social behaviour that is adversely affecting the amenity of our local environments and reducing civic pride. Fly-tipping can lead to serious pollution of the environment and harm to human health. It can cost innocent victims of fly-tipping and public bodies such as local authorities and the Environment Agency large amounts of money to remove the waste.

Extent of the problem

  • Fly-tipping varies in size from a single mattress or black bin bag to large-scale truck loads of construction, demolition and excavation waste.
  • Some illegal dumps, whilst small in size, can be serious particularly if hazardous waste is involved.
  • There are many reasons why fly-tipping occurs. In some cases it is just ignorance and a lack of awareness of the responsibilities of proper waste disposal.
  • Evidence that a lot of fly-tipping is organised by professional criminals who can gain significant financial rewards.
  • National fly-tipping database: Flycapture

Further information

See also

Page last modified: 13 June 2008
Page published: 25 February 2004

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs