Calls for tougher laws after 6,000 fly-tipping incidents recorded on public land in Derbyshire last year

There were 400 incidents alone in the Derbyshire Dales – helping make up over million fly-tipping incidents across the nation as a whole.

But these figures only account for waste that has been dumped illegally on public land and reportesd to local councils and does not include incidents which have occurred on privately-owned land.

The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) which has a membership of around 27,000 rural businesses and landowners across England and Wales says the problems is causing significant financial burdens to landowners and businsses and is calling for a change to the current fining and imprisonment laws.

One CLA member is so badly affected he pays £50,000 a year to clear up waste.

Midlands Regional Director, Sophie Dwerryhouse says: “These figures barely show the full extent of this crime which is having a devastating effect on the rural economy and communities. The system needs to be inclusive of private land and business owners so that the true extent of this issue can be evaluated and dealt with.

“The perpetrators have little or no consideration of the effect of their actions, with no thought about the impact of their crime on the environment, wildlife and landowners who have the financial burden of removing their waste.

“The penalties for fly-tipping, which are rarely enforced, need to be tougher to help remove this eyesore on our beautiful countryside.”