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An interactive map has revealed London’s fly-tipping hotspots, with one borough being identified as the worst area in England for unlawful dumping. Recent data from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs suggests that fly-tipping is on the rise due to the increased cost of refuse disposal and a backlog in disposal units. On Tuesday, the House of Lords' Environment and Climate Change Committee called for an independent review of waste crime, claiming the current approach is "inadequate". London saw more than 440,000 fly-tipping incidents in the year 2023/24, with 50 incidents per every 1,000 residents — more than double the English average. Data reveals that eight out of the ten worst locations in the country for fly-tipping are in the capital. It comes after more than a dozen London authorities increased fly-tipping penalties to £1,000 and hired more enforcement officers in an effort to combat the city's spiralling waste problem. According to environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, fly-tipping is defined as the illegal deposit of rubbish without a license. Fly-tippering culprits typically dump bin bags and furniture in a variety of locations, with pavements and roadways being the most common, but also on private land, alleyways and even waterways. Fly-tipping is a criminal offence subject to a penalty of up to £50,000 for large-scale offences or a 12-month prison sentence. Camden took the accolade as the fly-tipping capital of Britain, with 157 incidents per 1,000 residents, analysis by Sell House Fast showed. The property agent also named Camden as the graffiti capital of Britain after more than 14,000 reports were recorded the last three years. Adam Harrison, cabinet member for planning and a sustainable Camden, described fly-tipping as one of the biggest issues impacting the community and costs taxpayers over £685,000 a year to clear. Bin collectors have argued current “clear all” policy, which contractor Veolia introduced in an effort to keep the area’s high street accessible,has led to a “pandemic of fly-tipping”. Hackney came second in the study with 127 reports per 1,000 people, followed by Westminster in third with 120. Nottingham, which recorded 92 incidents per 1,000 locals, was named the worst offender outside of London. Lewisham, Hounslow, Croydon, Brent, Boston in Lincolnshire and Merton made up the top ten. However, Islington recorded the fewest fly-tipping incidents in London, at just 6.1 instances per 1,000 inhabitants, due to a combination of proactive council efforts and resident behavior. Around £82 million is being spent annually by local authorities in England on clearing up and policing fly-tipping, but around only one in-500 cases resulted in a prosecution. A Camden Council spokesman said: “Thanks to our Love Clean Streets app, it is quick and easy for Camden residents to report graffiti and flytips, which helps us to attend to these soon after they are logged. “Besides this, Camden council is investing an extra £1million a year in street cleaning and increasing the fines for both graffiti and flytipping.”
