Local authorities in England were forced to deal with a record 1.15 million fly-tipping incidents in 2023/24 – a 6% increase on the previous year.
The majority of the 10 worst areas for fly-tipping were London boroughs, with over 35,000 incidents reported in Croydon, according to the latest data from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
Local authorities carried out 528,000 enforcement actions in 2023/24, which was a slight decrease from the 530,000 in 2022/23.
The number of fixed penalty notices issued was 63,000 in 2023/24, a decrease of 5% from 67,000 in 2022/23.
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed said the increase was ‘unacceptable’.
‘This Government will crack down on fly tipping and punish rubbish dumpers, forcing them to clean up their mess,’ he said.
‘Through the new Crime and Policing Bill we will also give ministers the power to issue statutory guidance to councils to drive up fly-tipping enforcement.’
