Farmers urged to help maintain decline in fly-tipping

New figures from Defra have shown a total of 4,156 agricultural fly-tipping incidents were recorded across England in 2021/22, down from 5,538 incidents the previous year. The data reflects a nationwide decline in fly-tipping from 1.13m to 1.09m.

Although the figures are encouraging, it is important that farmers and landowners continue to remain vigilant and take steps to deter criminals from polluting the environment, Rupert Wailes-Fairbairn, of rural insurance broker Lycetts, said.

“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 advised.

Given that most fly-tippers operate under the cover of darkness, Mr Wailes-Fairbairn suggested installing exterior lighting as an extra measure of security. “Security cameras can also be an effective deterrent, and can help secure successful prosecutions,” he added.

Alongside posing a risk to the environment, fly-tipping can be a significant legal and financial burden. While local authorities will cover the costs of clearing waste from public land, farmers and other landowners are responsible for cleaning and removing waste from their own land.

With clean-up costs averaging £1,000 and large-scale incidents costing up to £10,000, fly-tipping can lead to substantial economic setback for farmers, and failure to comply with the law can result in prosecution.

To avoid such costly expenditures, Wailes-Fairbairn recommended a combined farm insurance policy, which covers the clean-up costs, typically capped between £10,000 and £15,000 for the insurance period.