Stop Illegal Fly-Tipping to Protect Our Environment

Many of you will remember the shocking discovery of a 150-metre-long mound of household and commercial waste in the fields besides the A34 last November. It was one of the largest fly-tipping incidents recorded to date, but unfortunately, it reflects a growing national problem.  

Last year, there were 1.26 million incidents of fly-tipping across England, of which 52,000 cases involved enough waste to fill a tipper lorry. Here in West Berkshire, there were 1,043 recorded incidents, including 74 tipper-truck-sized dumps on our highways, footpaths and bridleways, council land, and private property.  

Cleaning up these sites is no easy task. Councils spent around £19.3 million on fly-tipping clearance in 2023/24, with taxpayers picking up the bill while those responsible profit from illegally using our fields, parks and streets as a dumping ground.  

Fly-tipping has a clear and significant impact on our local communities. Not only does it pose a health risk to those living near or passing these sites, but it also damages the local environment and threatens the livelihoods of farming communities. 

Despite the clear and urgent threat illegal waste dumping poses, neither the current nor previous Government have treated it as a priority. The Environment Agency is responsible for investigating fly-tipping. However, it has consistently failed to respond effectively to reports of illegal activity. In fact, government statistics reveal that over the last year, prosecution actions have decreased while illegal dumping incidents have increased. 

Although the Government recently unveiled guidance for local authorities on how to seize and crush the vehicles used to dump waste, this does not tackle the root of the problem. Fly-tipping is a serious form of organised crime that must be dealt with swiftly and harshly.  

That is why the Liberal Democrats have tabled an amendment to make waste crime a strategic priority of the National Crime Agency (NCA). Waste gangs are pocketing millions from poisoning our environment, and the only way to stop them is to ensure they are properly prosecuted.