New fixed penalty notices for fly tipping are to come into force on 9 May but there are fears they may not be enough to stem the rising tide of refuse dumped in rural areas.
From 9 May, local authorities will be able to issue fines for small scale fly-tipping of up to £400 as an alternative to prosecution, following the introduction of new Government regulations on the unauthorised deposit of waste.
According to DEFRA, 900,000 fly-tipping incidents were dealt with by local authorities in England during 2014/15.
Yet the CLA said the figures exclude much of the waste dumped on private land where it poses risks to local wildlife, livestock and the environment.
Landowners are liable for any waste that is fly-tipped on their land and can be prosecuted if they do not clear it away, often at considerable cost to their business.
CLA Midlands rural surveyor Mark Riches said that with fewer than 2,000 prosecutions for fly-tipping in 2014/15, more effective action is urgently needed.
'Offenders must be dealt with more robustly'
"We receive regular reports from our members of fly tipping, particularly when their land is located on the fringes of urban areas.
"The waste involved is not just the occasional bin bag, but large household items, from unwanted sofas to broken washing machines and building materials.
"The CLA has been calling for offenders to be dealt with more robustly and we welcome this latest tightening in the regulations.
"Fixed penalty notices will not solve the problem, but they are a positive step in tackling an issue which is estimated to cost rural businesses an average of £800 per incident and is a continuing and damaging blight on our countryside."
Mr Riches added that May Bank Holiday often saw an increase in fly-tipping as people started work on their homes and gardens in earnest, with many having no plans for disposal of the rubbish generated.
He urged people in rural areas to be vigilant, and to report fly-tipping incidents to the police, with as much information as possible.
