More than 1,200 incidents of fly-tipping across Gedling borough ended up costing taxpayers £189,000 last year.
Fly-tipping, the illegal dumping of waste, is the costliest form of waste crime in England.
Estimates from 2021 from the Environmental Services Association (ESA) suggest the overall cost of fly-tipping across the country is £391.8m a year.
Local authorities are typically left to clean up illegally dumped waste, with many spending hundreds – if not thousands – of pounds on specialist contractors to clean up more severe incidents which may be contaminated.
During a Gedling Borough Council Full Council meeting on Wednesday, July 12, Cllr Mike Adams (Con) asked the Labour-led administration what the total cost of fly-tipping was to taxpayers.
Responding Cllr Marje Paling, the chairwoman of the environment and licensing committee, said: “As DEFRA reported only this week fly-tipping is a significant blight on our environment.
“It also undermines legitimate waste businesses where unscrupulous operators undercut those operating within the law.
“Last financial year the cost for removal of fly-tipping in Gedling was calculated at £189,000, which equates to £1.61 per resident and it was for 1,220 incidents in 2022.
“This aggregated cost belies a myriad of variables. Each job is really dependent on the specific issues it brings with it.
“For example if asbestos or other contaminated waste is found it costs around £300 to £500 per occasion.
“We have to call in specialist contractors to take that waste away because we have not got that facility ourselves.
“Some clean-ups can be done in half an hour, others take three to four hours, the larger fly-tips can come out at approximately £256 per occasion.”
The discussion comes just days after the Government announced a crackdown on fly-tipping and environmental crime on July 7.
This includes an increase in fines for those caught fly-tipping and littering.
“Catching perpetrators is difficult but we do prosecute,” Cllr Paling said.
“Environment minister Rebecca Pow has announced increases in fines for litter, graffiti and fly-tipping as part of the crackdown on anti-social behaviour, part of the Prime Minister’s action plan.
“This statutory notice for the increase was only announced this week and the penalty increases will possibly come into effect at the end of July.
“The maximum amount for those caught fly-tipping will increase from £400 to £1,000.
“The maximum amount for those found breaching household waste, which is a duty of care for residents, will increase from £400 to £600.
“I want to take this opportunity to advise residents they can help to ensure fly-tipping is reduced by only using Environment Agency-registered waste carriers, keeping a receipt for waste that is taken away, and they should always ask to see the licence.”
Cllr Adams added: “I wondered if you would agree with me that increasing the level of CCTV there across our area of Gedling would be useful, not only to reduce that environmental damage but also in a cost-reduction basis for the council as well?”
Cllr Paling said it was difficult to keep moving cameras and that fly-tippers can spot cameras and move on to another area.
However she added: “We are continually looking to improve the service we provide.”
£1000 is a joke, let’s face it, the offenders are not put off by this…£5000 minimum if not higher. It needs to put fear in them if they get caught. Plaster names and faces in papers and billboards if it were up to me, name and shame them. Mandatory vehicle scrapped and crushed. . Take the gloves off for heavens sake…only way.
£1000 is a joke, let’s face it, the offenders are not put off by this…£5000 minimum if not higher. It needs to put fear in them if they get caught. Plaster names and faces in papers and billboards if it were up to me, name and shame them. Mandatory vehicle scrapped and crushed. . Take the gloves off for heavens sake…only way. Funnily we can find £120000 for cameras near a park but bugger all for motion detectors at hot spots, you should have hundreds of them! £1200000 for. Park cameras and nowt to save potentially £189000.