Local authority leaders have called for tougher sentences for fly-tippers as the latest figures reveal that offences have increased by 50% in six years.
Incidents of fly-tipping have increased from 714,637 in 2012/13 to 1,072,431 in 2018/19.
However, over the same period only 5% of court-imposed fines were above £1,000, and only a sixth of them above £500.
The Local Government Association (LGA) argues that tougher sentences are needed in order to deter fly-tippers.
‘Councils are determined to crack down on the problem and have increased enforcement activity, including installing CCTV at fly-tipping hotspots to support successful prosecutions,’ said LGA environment spokesman, Cllr David Renard.
‘However, prosecuting fly-tippers often requires time-consuming and laborious investigations, with a high threshold of proof. Tougher sentences are needed to act as a stronger deterrent to criminals dumping waste.’
Councils took action on nearly half a million incidents in 2018/19 – almost 5,000 more than the previous year and up by nearly 75,000 in six years.
The LGA estimates that fly-tipping costs councils £58m a year to clear up.
