Fly-Tipping Solutions

What is fly-tipping?

The UK government define fly-tipping in simple terms as the illegal dumping of waste. Keep Britain Tidy add that illegal deposits happen when waste is left on land that does not have a licence to accept it. Fly-tipping differs from littering, in that it involves the removal of the waste from where it was created, with the deliberate aim of disposing of it elsewhere, unlawfully. City of London police add that fly-tipping covers a range of items from large appliances like fridges, to drugs-related paraphernalia like needles and syringes; all discarded in a public place.

How big is the problem?

Fly tipping is described as a national issue that has a detrimental impact on whole communities. Whether it’s a fridge freezer at the side of a country lane, a black sack filled with rubbish outside a row of houses, or an old sofa at the bottom of a block of flats, fly-tipping is all too common an occurrence.

The government statistics on fly-tipping in the UK are bleak. For the 2023-24 year, local authorities in England dealt with 1.15 million fly-tipping incidents, an increase of 6% from the previous year. Shockingly, over 60% of this rubbish was household waste, as opposed to dumping from rogue haulers or business waste.

There are 3,157 instances of fly-tipping are reported each day in England, or one report every 27 seconds. Over the last five years the number of fly-tipping reports in England have increased by over 20%. It is important to note that these are only the cases of fly-tipping that are reported and actually, the number of unreported cases is likely to be much higher.

What is the impact of fly-tipping?

Environmental impact

Fly-tipping is a significant blight on local environments, say DEFRA; a source of pollution; a potential danger to public health and hazard to wildlife. Uncontrolled illegal waste disposal can be hazardous, especially if it contains toxic material or asbestos. There could be a risk of damage to watercourses and soil quality from the dumped waste.

Social impact

The issue of fly tipping in council estates has a real detrimental impact on how both residents and outsiders view social housing areas. The 60% of all fly-tipped waste being household waste in government figures, suggests plainly that highly populated housing areas, which sometimes lack suitable infrastructure, are part of the root cause of the fly-tipping problem.

The Tenant Inspectors investigation on council house stigma (Southampton City Council), reports that fly tipping can have a big impact on how local people feel about their home as it makes neighbourhoods look uncared for and run down, fostering a lack of community pride.

Croydon Council agree that tipping waste, be it a mattress, electrical items or a bin bag full of rubbish in the street, causes a local nuisance and makes an area look ugly and run down. An area that is heavily littered or fly-tipped gives the impression of increased crime levels and safety concerns. It also encourages others to dump their rubbish there.

Economic impact

Fly-tipping costs hundreds of thousands of pounds in clearance charges each year, money that ultimately comes out of council taxpayer money. Councils up and down the country note concerns about the amount of staff time and money that is spent dealing with fly-tipping.

The ‘LoveJunk Fly Tipping Report 2024’, an in-depth analysis of Defra’s 2023 fly-tipping statistics for England, report:

Local authorities spent an estimated £64 million clearing up fly-tipped waste from public places
£19 million was spent on actions to catch and punish fly tippers.
Accordingly, the total cost of fly tipping (clear up plus investigation and punishment) to the public in 2023 was £83 million.
This is equivalent to £76 for every single fly tipping incident.

Not only does fly-tipping burn through public money, it undermines legitimate waste businesses where unscrupulous operators undercut those operating within the law.

What can be done to stop fly-tipping?

Livvy Drake’s Fly-Tipping Solutions Guide notes that successful behaviour change is achieved by understanding what the barriers and enablers are for each behaviour. This requires looking at every stage of the behaviour to understand what is causing it and what will inspire a different course of action.

When thinking about fly-tipping, there are many different reasons that people fly-tip and understanding the motivation behind it is crucial in reducing and preventing fly-tipping in the future.

The Fly-Tipping Solutions Guide published key research, divided into three categories for understanding reasons for fly-tipping:

Barriers to legitimate disposal

Barriers to legitimate waste disposal includes a lack of knowledge about services such as what can be recycled, when collections happen, or how to access bulky waste and charity collections.

A lack of designated storage facilities leaves residents with limited options when awaiting collection of large items like furniture and appliances. In communal settings, where outdoor space is constrained, this often results in fly-tipping in stairwells, bin areas or open spaces.

metroSTOR’s secure bulky waste storage units provide a short-term holding solution that addresses this gap, helping landlords reduce unsightly dumping and support responsible disposal behaviours.

Motivation to dispose of waste correctly is also a factor, with some residents unconvinced of the benefits or deterred by costs, delays, or confusion over rules. Accessibility issues range from limited bin space and inconvenient collection times to a lack of transport, internet access, or the physical ability to move larger items.

Reasons why people think fly-tipping is acceptable

Some individuals unintentionally fly-tip due to a lack of awareness about what constitutes fly-tipping or its consequences, while others believe certain actions, like leaving items for reuse or disposing of green waste, are acceptable or even beneficial. For some, a lack of concern, weak community ties, or low perceived risk of penalties reduces deterrence. Others are motivated by convenience, finding fly-tipping quicker and easier than using proper disposal routes.

Barriers for lower socio-economic groups

Lower socio-economic groups face a range of barriers to proper waste disposal including limited access to transport, internet and information, which makes using services like waste and recycling centres more difficult. Language barriers and cultural misunderstandings can add to confusion about what’s acceptable, while low levels of trust in local authorities can further reduce engagement. Financial constraints, time pressures and poor communication, particularly in multi-occupant housing (HMO), can mean waste management is deprioritised. High tenant turnover and weak relationships with landlords also contribute to a lack of responsibility and continuity in waste practices.

Wider research supports this, with UK government and independent charities all noting the complex and varied motivations behind fly-tipping including the aforementioned financial gain or saving by the perpetrator, a lack of waste disposal facilities or access to them, laziness and an attitude that clearing the waste is someone else’s problem.

(House of Commons, Fly-Tipping: The illegal Dumping of Waste, Litter Strategy for England, Fresco)

What’s the solution?

Successful initiatives for tackling fly-tipping can be aligned with the EAST behavioural framework; making actions Easy, Attractive, Social and Timely.

Examples of these include making disposal services more accessible, clearly signposted, smart and secure in neighbourhoods. metroSTOR’s waste and recycling infrastructure are an essential tool in the management of waste-streams, reducing fly-tipping and other associated fire risks, litter and anti-social behaviour, while increasing recycling.

In many social housing estates, bin stores have historically been located out of the general line of sight and therefore tend to attract fly-tipping, crime and antisocial behaviour. metroSTOR bin stores can be located in prominent positions and look smart, easy to use and clearly signposted. When neighbourhoods appear well-equipped and cared for, the likelihood of fly-tipping is significantly reduced. Local authorities and housing managers may need to reconsider the position, location and number of bins available to residents and metroSTOR are here to support with this.

Dale Court, a densely populated social housing estate in Kingston upon Thames, was facing a severe fly-tipping crisis. Find out about the overwhelming success story, following Dale Court’s partnership with metroSTOR, where fly tipping has been reduced by 80%, transforming the estate from an unmanaged dumping ground into a clean and well-organised space.

Customer Testimonial: Dale Court, RB Kington upon Thames

“Before metroSTOR, waste management at Dale Court was a daily struggle. Fly tipping was out of control, bins were left scattered across the estate, and residents constantly raised concerns about the mess. We were spending too much on ad hoc collections, and even with regular clean-ups, the estate never stayed tidy for long.”

“Since installing metroSTOR, everything has changed. Fly tipping has been almost completely eliminated, waste is now properly sorted, and recycling has become second nature to residents. The secure bin enclosures ensure that collections happen efficiently, and our costs have significantly reduced. What was once a chaotic system is now well-organised and easy to manage.”

“The results at Dale Court have been so impressive that we’re rolling metroSTOR out to other estates across the borough. It’s been a game changer for waste management in Kingston.”

To explore practical solutions and hear directly from the team behind successful interventions like Dale Court, watch our recent Fly-Tipping Solutions webinar.

Hosted by behavioural change and sustainability expert, Livvy Drake, this interactive webinar dived into the motivations behind fly-tipping, the barriers to legitimate waste disposal and the real-world strategies that are making a difference on housing estates across the UK.

Whether you’re launching a new campaign, tackling repeat fly-tipping or looking to upskill your team, this session is packed with actionable insight. Watch the video now and take a proactive step towards cleaner, safer communities.