Fly-tipping ‘effectively legalised’ under Tories, claim Lib Dems

The Liberal Democrats have become the latest party to accuse ministers of failing to tackle rising levels of dumped waste.

A fly-tipping site near Erith in Kent (Gareth Fuller/PA) (PA Archive)

Fly-tipping has been “effectively legalised” under the Tory Government, the Liberal Democrats have claimed as they highlight research suggesting just one in 500 cases leads to prosecution.

The party is the latest to accuse ministers of failing to tackle rising levels of dumped waste amid competing efforts to be seen as tough on crime in the run-up to local elections.

Data from local authorities across England shows more than a million fly-tipping incidents were recorded in 2021-22, though fewer than 2,000 resulted in legal action, the Lib Dems said.