The environment minister has pledged to tackle waste crime as new data shows that tipping in England has increased by 38 percent.
More than 1 million robbery incidents were recorded last year compared to the 820,000 recorded in 2010, an analysis by Unchecked UK reveals.
Officials claim that household waste is responsible for almost half of the incidents. White goods, clinical waste and animal carcasses have also contributed to the problem.
The data comes as Environment Minister Ranil Jayawardena has vowed to end illegal dumping of waste in the UK, claiming it is a ‘scourge to our villages, towns and beautiful countryside’.
The increase in tipping has also been accompanied by seemingly diminishing efforts to fight garbage offenders. Last year, fines averaged around €2.50 per offender.
The environment minister has pledged to tackle waste crime as new data shows that tipping in England has increased by 38 percent. Pictured: Waste dumped in Slough . last month
‘Tipping is a stain on our villages, cities and beautiful nature. We must put an end to this,” Mr Jayawardena said The Telegraphand notes how waste disposal costs the UK £392 million annually.
“I am determined that we will curb tipping – which has been a millstone around the necks of legitimate businesses for too long and has curbed economic growth – and ensure that those responsible get the full force of the law. ‘
The number of fly dumping cases on the country’s waterways has increased by 76 percent, new data shows. They have also nearly doubled on footpaths and bridleways.
Environmental groups have reported incidents of repeated discharges into nature reserves and other British beauty spots.
Tipping also poses a “deadly threat” to wildlife and livestock, claimed The Wildlife Trusts, which are responsible for managing the country’s wildlife reserves.
“Tipping is outrageous and causes major problems for wildlife and costs a fortune to clean up,” Barnaby Coupe, The Wildlife Trusts’ land use policy manager, told the paper. “It is heartbreaking when our natural areas are attacked.”
Rural groups report repeated spills into wildlife areas and beauty spots and are forced to pay hundreds of thousands of pounds a year to clean up discarded waste.
The Wildlife Trusts, which manage wildlife sanctuaries across the country, said the dumping of flies posed a deadly threat to wildlife and grazing livestock.
More than 1 million robbery incidents were recorded last year compared to the 820,000 recorded in 2010, an analysis by Unchecked UK reveals. Pictured: Garbage dumped near Scraptoft in April 2020
Officials claim that household waste is responsible for almost half of the incidents. White goods, clinical waste and animal carcasses have also contributed to the problem. Pictured: Waste dumped in Staffordshire in April 2020
While the pandemic-era tip and skip closure has “exacerbated” the tipping problem, industry experts also argue that municipalities are failing to deal with waste crime offenders.
Ten years ago, about 70 percent of trap-kipping incidents resulted in “some kind of law enforcement.” Now that figure is around 40 percent.
Unchecked UK reported that there has been one prosecution for every 471 incidents of throwing over in the past year.
Also, courts would ‘rarely’ impose fines or prison sentences on violators of dumping waste. Since 2007, only four fines over £50,000 have been issued.
The The Environment Services Association (ESA) said the public is often unaware that they would be held responsible for the illegal dumping, even if they hire a third party to clean up their waste.
The ESA also claims that the law currently makes it easy for criminal operators to register themselves as “legitimate garbage collectors.”
The Telegraph alleged that journalist George Monbiot registered his dead goldfish as a legitimate waste disposal company last year.
