Farming industry welcomes reforms tackling fly-tipping

Defra has announced that local councils will work with the police to identify, seize and crush vehicles of waste criminals.

Drones and mobile CCTV cameras will be deployed to identify cars and vans belonging to fly-tippers so they can be destroyed.   

Ministers have launched a rapid review to slash red tape blocking councils from seizing and crushing vehicles, the government said.

Councils currently have to bear the significant cost of seizing and storing vehicles, but under new plans fly-tippers will cover this cost, saving councils and taxpayers money. 

In addition, waste cowboys will now face up to five years in prison for operating illegally.  

Any criminals caught transporting and dealing with waste illegally will now face up to five years in prison under new legislation, the government confirmed. 

Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed, said: “Waste criminals and fly-tippers who blight our towns and villages have gone unpunished for too long.   

“That ends today. The government is calling time on fly-tipping. I will not stand by while this avalanche of rubbish buries our communities.  

“Under the Plan for Change, this government will seize and crush fly-tippers vans’ to clean up Britain’s streets.” 

READ MORE: Peterborough farmer faces up to five fly-tipping incidents a week

‘Rural crime blights the countryside’

The plans have been positively welcomed by the Country Land and Business Association. 

The CLA president Victoria Vyvyan said: “We’re pleased to see, following years of campaigning by the CLA, that progress is being made in the fight against fly-tipping, and this news is welcome. 

“Rural crime blights the countryside, and action is badly needed. The number of incidents is rising, but enforcement actions, fixed penalty notices and total number of court fines are all down year-on-year. This cannot go on. 

“Some local authorities are already seizing vehicles of fly-tippers, but last year two councils accounted for more than 60% of seizures, so these powers need to be used much more widely to send a serious message to these environmental criminals. 

“The CLA is supportive of closer co-operation and information sharing between the police, local authorities and the Environment Agency to help them identify and prosecute fly-tippers.” 

Philip Duffy, Environment Agency chief executive, added that the EA is determined to bring the criminals to justice through tough enforcement action and prosecutions.  

“That’s why we support the government’s crackdown on waste criminals, which will ensure we have the right powers to shut rogue operators out of the waste industry. 

“Waste crime is toxic. Criminals’ thoughtless actions harm people, places, and the economy, blighting our communities and disrupting legitimate businesses,” Mr Duffy concluded. 

READ MORE: Incident on Jeremy Clarkson’s farm initiates talks about fly-tipping

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