Council tip closures prompt renewed call for action on fly tippers

The CLA is encouraging both landowners and farmers, along with the public, to report any fly tipping incidents to their local authorities

The coronavirus pandemic has forced councils to temporarily close their household recycling centres (tips) to the public, prompting fears of an increase in fly tipping incidents.

In addition, some councils have also scaled back bin collections.

Now, the CLA - a membership organisation for owners of land, property and businesses in rural areas - is encouraging both landowners and farmers, along with the public, to report any fly tipping incidents to their local authorities.

Farmers and landowners can go some way to preventing fly-tipped waste on their land by ensuring gates to fields are locked, opening up concealed entrances so they more visible to passersby, using CCTV in black spots and reporting all instances to the local police force or local authority.

CLA Director North Dorothy Fairburn said: “It is shocking to hear reports of fly tipping incidents especially at this time of lock-down.

"The closure of tips is understandable, but can’t be used as an excuse to dump rubbish in our countryside.

“Local authorities don’t usually get involved with clearing incidences of fly-tipped waste from private land leaving the landowner cleaning up and footing the bill, and if not, they risk prosecution for illegal storage of waste.

"This is simply not right or fair.”

The CLA, which represent 30,000 landowners and farmers in England and Wales, have long called for decisive action in tackling this scourge by publishing a five-point action plan in 2017.

As a result the government has introduced new regulations in 2018 which enabled local councils to issue fixed penalty notices or fines of up to £400 for small scale fly-tipping.

Fly tipping can be reported to local councils via a dedicated online site: https://www.gov.uk/report-flytipping

Waste crime can also be reported in confidence and anonymously to Crimestoppers, by phoning 0800 555 111.

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