Fly-tipping is on the rise across the UK, creating an expensive and unavoidable burden on farmers that continues to get worse.
New figures show councils in England will deal with 1.15 million fly-tipping incidents in 2023-2024, an increase of 6% on the previous year.
This shows the national scale of the problem, but hides serious problems on private land.
Although waste dumped on agricultural land is rarely reflected in official figures, the responsibility for removing it usually lies with landowners, even if they are victims of crime.
Waste management experts at BusinessWaste.co.uk say farm fly dispersal is widespread but largely invisible, leaving many local businesses to deal with the impact alone.
Fly-tipping remains one of the most persistent environmental crimes in the UK, with an estimated 3,000 incidents occurring every day. Rising disposal costs, limited landfill capacity, and inconsistent enforcement are all contributing to the increase in illegal dump sites.
While councils record incidents on roadsides and public land, fly flies on farms often go unrecorded, despite causing significant disruption and costs.
Official statistics do not break down incidents by land type, but survey data suggests fly-tipping is a common experience for farmers.
According to a national survey, 52% of farmers have experienced fly-tipping on their land, and 30% have reported large-scale incidents involving multiple dumpers or truckloads of dumpers. Almost half said the problem had increased in recent years, noting that the problem is growing rather than being controlled.
For many farmers, the economic impact could be severe. In some cases, removing fly tip waste can cost tens of thousands of pounds.
Removal costs are usually borne by the landowner and can range from £1,000 to £100,000, particularly if hazardous materials such as asbestos are involved.
Fly tipping is not only costly but also poses a significant risk to farm operations. Hazardous waste can contaminate soil and damage livestock and crops, while dumped items can block access routes, interfere with machinery, and pose a risk to the health and safety of workers and visitors.
Farmers are encouraged to report fly tipping incidents to local authorities as soon as possible. Although councils may conduct investigations and try to identify violators, practical support for removing waste from private land remains limited and varies by municipality.
Government and parliamentary guidance often focuses on preventive measures such as gates, fencing, signage, lighting and surveillance cameras.
Although these can help reduce risk, they can be expensive, difficult to implement across large operating farms, and are not always effective in preventing reoffending.
If a fly is observed at work, farmers are advised to call 999 if it is safe to do so and provide details of those involved, any waste dumped and images.
Incidents discovered subsequently should be reported to 101 and, in the case of major incidents, the relevant environmental regulator.
Devon farmer Winston Thorne said the problem was increasingly damaging to his family farm.
“My family has farmed in this area for generations. Fly tipping was never a big problem, but it has steadily increased over the years,” he said.
“We are located in a rural area and many of our farms cannot be covered by cameras. Unfortunately, some people try to take advantage of this and use our land for waste dumping.”
He said the cost of removing fly-tipped waste is often borne entirely by farmers.
“What’s even more disappointing is that the responsibility for thousands of pounds worth of clean-up has been left on the farmers themselves. For a small family farm like ours, this is hugely damaging,” he said.
“We welcome tougher fines for fly-tipping and policy changes that will benefit farmers who are targeted by these crimes.”
Farm groups argue that without stricter enforcement and policy changes, fly-tipping will become an increasing burden for rural businesses and remain entrenched as part of broader rural crime.
