Farmers and landowners left footing bill as fly-tipping surges by 9%

Fly-tipping incidents have climbed to 1.26 million in England — a 9% rise on the previous year — prompting ministers to push councils to seize and crush more vehicles used by offenders.

The surge in 2024/2025, up from 1.15 million incidents, has triggered new government guidance setting out in detail how local authorities should identify, seize and ultimately destroy vehicles involved in illegal dumping.

Councils already have powers to confiscate vehicles, but the new framework is the first comprehensive guide on how to deploy those powers effectively — from gathering evidence and securing convictions to publicising enforcement action.

Ministers want enforcement to be more visible. Authorities are being encouraged to “name and shame” offenders on social media and publish images and videos of seized vans being crushed.

The guidance, published today (25 February), even suggests repurposing confiscated vehicles for use in clearing other fly-tipping incidents.

Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said the government was determined to tackle so-called “waste cowboys”.

“We are empowering local authorities to clamp down on waste cowboys and restore pride in our local areas,” she said.

“I share the public’s fury at seeing our streets, parks and fields used as dumping grounds.”

She added: “If you use your van to trash our countryside, don’t be surprised when it ends up on the scrapheap.”

While fly-tipping affects towns and cities, rural communities continue to shoulder a disproportionate burden. For farmers and landowners, illegally dumped waste can mean blocked gateways, contaminated fields, damaged tracks and biosecurity risks.

Responsibility for clearing waste left on private land rests with the landowner — even when they are the victim of the crime.

That reality was highlighted recently when an elderly farmer in his 80s in Hertfordshire was left legally responsible for clearing a 200-tonne dump of waste left on his land near St Albans.

Despite having done nothing wrong, he faced an estimated clean-up bill of between £40,000 and £50,000 — a sum he said he could not afford. A public fundraising campaign raised £50,000 in just three days to help cover the cost.

The case underlines the financial exposure many rural landowners face when targeted by organised dumping.

Beyond the cost, there is disruption. Dumped waste can restrict livestock movement, damage crops and require specialist contractors to remove hazardous materials such as asbestos.

In some cases, farmers and landowners must arrange specialist removal contractors, adding further expense.

The guidance urges councils to deploy overt and covert surveillance, including CCTV, drones and Automatic Number Plate Recognition, and to share intelligence with the police, the Environment Agency and National Trading Standards to tackle organised waste crime.

Enforcement activity has increased, but incidents continue to rise. Local authorities carried out 572,000 enforcement actions in 2024/25, an 8% increase on the previous year.

Fixed penalty notices — the second most common action after investigations — rose 9% to 69,000, accounting for 12% of all enforcement measures.

However, court outcomes show a more mixed picture. The number of fines fell 9%, from 1,378 in 2023/24 to 1,250 in 2024/25. The combined value of those fines dropped 8%, from £730,000 to £673,000.

The average fine rose slightly, from £530 to £539 — but remains modest when compared with the cost and impact of illegal dumping on victims.

Figures show that 139 vehicles were seized by enforcement officers from 41 councils during 2024/25 — a small proportion compared with the overall number of offences.

Where sufficient evidence exists, fly-tippers can be prosecuted and courts may issue cost orders allowing landowners to recover clean-up expenses from perpetrators.

However, central government does not compensate victims of non-violent crime, warning that reimbursing clean-up costs directly could create a “perverse incentive” for some to allow dumping to occur.

Landowners are being urged to secure vulnerable sites, use signage and barriers where appropriate, and report incidents promptly to their local authority.

With offences rising despite increased enforcement, ministers hope more aggressive vehicle seizures, public naming and visible destruction of offenders’ vans will act as a stronger deterrent.

For farmers and rural businesses dealing with the aftermath on the ground, the hope is that tougher action translates into fewer piles of waste left at field gates — and fewer bills landing on their desks.