| answer text |
<p>Fly-tipping is unacceptable whether it occurs on public or private land, it spoils
our enjoyment of the countryside, can harm human health and wildlife, and damage farming
and rural tourism. It also undermines legitimate waste businesses where unscrupulous
operators undercut those that operate within the law and is a drain on both local
authorities and landowners that clear it up. Tackling this scourge and other forms
of illegal waste activity is a priority for the Government.</p><p> </p><p>The exact
extent of fly-tipping on private land is unknown as landowners are not required to
report this to Defra. However landowner estimates, provided to the Defra chaired National
Fly-Tipping Prevention Group, suggest that fly-tipping on private land may cost between
£50 million and £150 million per annum in clean up and disposal costs alone.</p><p>
</p><p>Some private landowner organisations do report fly-tipping on their land to
Defra on a voluntary basis. Between April 2009 and April 2016 these organisation reported
some 5,946 fly-tipping incidents on their land. We recognise that the data collected
does not fully reflect the scale of the problem.</p><p> </p><p>We recognise the inconvenience
and costs that fly-tipping poses to landowners and we are working with a wide range
of interested parties through the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group to improve
understanding and awareness of the problem as well as sharing best practice about
tackling it.</p>
|
|
