The number of fly-tipping incidents in the UK has increased by 9% on the previous year to 1.26 million, and ministers are lobbying parliament to seize and demolish more vehicles used by offenders.
The number of incidents, up from 1.15 million in 2024-2025, has triggered new government guidance detailing how local authorities can identify, seize and ultimately destroy vehicles involved in illegal dumping.
Councils already have powers to confiscate vehicles, but the new framework provides the first comprehensive guide on how to effectively use those powers, from gathering evidence and securing convictions to announcing enforcement actions.
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 (February 25), also proposes that seized vehicles be reused to solve other fly-tipping cases.
Circular Economy Minister Mary Cree said the government was determined to tackle the so-called “waste cowboy”.
“We are giving local governments the power to crack down on waste cowboys and restore local pride,” she said.
“I share the public’s anger at seeing our streets, parks and fields being used as garbage dumps.”
She added: “If you use vans to trash our countryside, don’t be surprised if it ends up on the scrap heap.”
Although fly-tipping affects towns and cities, rural areas continue to bear a disproportionate burden. For farmers and landowners, illegally dumped waste can mean blocked access points, contaminated fields, damaged railway lines and biosecurity risks.
The responsibility for removing waste left on private property rests with the landowner, even if the landowner is the victim of a crime.
That reality was brought to light recently when an elderly farmer in his 80s from Hertfordshire was found legally responsible for disposing of 200 tonnes of waste left on his land near St Albans.
Despite having done nothing wrong, he was faced with a cleaning bill estimated at between £40,000 and £50,000, which he said he could not afford. A public fundraiser raised £50,000 in just three days to help cover costs.
This case highlights the financial jeopardy that many rural landowners face if they become the target of organized dumping.
Beyond the cost, there is disruption. Dumped waste can restrict the movement of livestock, damage crops, and require specialist services to remove hazardous materials such as asbestos.
In some cases, farmers and landowners may have to arrange for professional removal contractors, which can be even more costly.
The guidance calls on councils to deploy overt and covert surveillance, including CCTV, drones and automatic number plate recognition, and to share information with police, the Environment Agency and National Trading Standards to tackle organized waste crime.
Enforcement efforts have been stepped up, but incidents continue to rise. Local authorities carried out 572,000 enforcement actions in 2024/25, an 8% increase on the previous year.
Amended penalty notices, the second most common after investigations, increased by 9% to 69,000 and accounted for 12% of all enforcement actions.
However, the court results present a more complex picture. The number of fines decreased by 9% from 1,378 in 2023/24 to 1,250 in 2024/25. The total amount of these fines decreased by 8% from £730,000 to £673,000.
Average fines have increased slightly from £530 to £539, but this is still a small amount compared to the cost and impact on victims of illegal dumping.
Figures show that 139 vehicles were seized by enforcement officers in 41 councils in 2024/25, a small proportion compared to the overall number of crimes.
If sufficient evidence exists, the fly dumper may be prosecuted and the court may issue a costs order allowing the landowner to recover clean-up costs from the perpetrator.
But the central government does not compensate victims of non-violent crimes and warns that direct reimbursement for cleanup costs could create “false incentives” for some to allow dumping to occur.
Landowners are being asked to secure vulnerable areas, use signs and fencing where necessary, and promptly report incidents to local authorities.
With crime on the rise despite increased enforcement, ministers hope more aggressive vehicle seizures, public naming and the visible destruction of criminals’ vans will act as a stronger deterrent.
For farmers and local businesses dealing with the aftermath on the ground, there is hope that tougher action will reduce the piles of waste left at field gates and fewer banknotes landing on desks.
