A new study has revealed that the South West region had the fewest reports of fly-tipping incidents in England last year. According to the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), a total of 49,883 fly-tipping incidents were recorded across the region between 2021 and 2022, which was down from 55,162 in the previous year.
In comparison, London had the most fly-tipping incidents with 405,849 recorded. Second on the list was the North West with 128,426, while the South East had 102,916.
Following the release of the figures, rural insurance specialist Lycetts is calling on landowners to double down on their efforts to keep environmental criminals at bay. As well as posing significant and environmental health risks, fly-tipping can be a legal and financial burden as some will already know.
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While local authorities are responsible for the clean-up costs of clearing waste, farmers and other landowners have responsibility for cleaning and removing waste from private land which of course comes at a price. The south west areas have shown improvement over the last years, and if continued, could help maintain a positive trend.
Lycetts' William McCarter said: "The figures are very encouraging, but it is important that landowners continue to remain vigilant if the downward trajectory is to continue. Making it difficult for environmental criminals to access land is one of the most effective preventative measures you can take.
"Gates should be locked when not in use, fences should be in a good state of repair and hedges should be cut back to allow good visibility for property owners."
He added: "Fly-tippers tend to operate under cover of darkness, so exterior lighting should be installed, if possible. Security cameras can also be an effective deterrent, and can help secure successful prosecutions."
Failure to comply can result in prosecution. McCarter advised a combined farm insurance policy, which covers the clean-up costs, typically capped between £10,000 and £15,000 for the insurance period.
Here is the total number of fly-tipping incidents across the UK over the years:
London 405,849 (2021/22) 384,834 (2020/21)
North West 128,426 (2021/22) 140,220 (2020/21)
South East 102,916 (2021/22) 121,283 (2020/21)
- West Midlands 83,547 (2021/22) 90,585
- Yorkshire and The Humber 81,952 (2021/22) 90,055 (2020/21)
- East Midlands 79,705 (2021/22) 90,479 (2020/21)
- East 75,664 (2021/22) 79,726 (2020/21)
- North East 70,230 (2021/22) 81,867 (2020/21)
- South West 49,883 (2021/22) 55,162 (2020/21)
Total number of fly-tipping in the south west between 2021 and 2022:
- Bath and North East Somerset: 1917
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole: 1971
- Bristol: 10,296
- Cheltenham: 854
- Cornwall: 3,259
- Cotswolds: 1,007
- Dorset: 1,575
- East Devon: 466
- Exeter: 729
- Forest of Dean 1,314
- Gloucester: 1,175
- Mendip: 1,896
- Mid Devon: 687
- North Devon: 648
- North Somerset: 1,212
- Plymouth: 6,264
- Sedgemoor: 1,182
- Somerset West and Taunton: 867
- South Gloucestershire: 1,727
- South Hams: 486
- South Somerset: 478
- Stroud: 1,157
- Swindon: 2,289
- Teignbridge: 1,131
- Tewkesbury: 915
- Torbay: 951
- Torridge: 195
- West Devon: 267
- Wiltshire: 2,971
Total number of fly-tipping incidents between 2020 and 2021:
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