Revealed: The £100k cost of clearing up fly-tipping in Norfolk

An illegal fly tip site thought to stretch back for a mile alongside the Thames estuary at Purfleet in Essex. Photo: Chris Radburn/PA Wire.

The latest data from Defra shows 10,353 fly-tipping incidents occurred in Norfolk and Waveney between 2019 and 2020 - an average of 28 per day.

The figure is down by 8pc (11,286) from the previous year and 30pc (14,768) from 10 years ago.

Most of the incidents included dumping rubbish on council land, household waste and black binbags.

Although fly-tipping incidents were lower in every district than the year before, Breckland District Council dished out 36 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN) to people found to be illegally ditching waste.

This was more than double the amount of FPNs given out by any other Norfolk council.

Gary Groucott found dozens of bags of insulation fly-tipped on his land off Long Road in Wymondham. Picture: Gary Groucott (Image: Archant)

Gordon Bambridge, executive member for environmental and public protection at the council, said how important it is to "ensure serial fly-tippers are punished".

Gordon Bambridge, Breckland Councils executive member for environmental services and public protection. Picture: Breckland Council (Image: Archant)

He said: "We have been making concerted efforts to both educate local residents, whilst taking enforcement action to ensure serial fly-tippers are punished.

“Our enforcement team work incredibly hard not only to bring fly-tippers to justice, but repeatedly look at re-education, and prevention which all play a major contribution in reducing fly-tipping.

"We are incredibly proud to see the reduction (in fly-tipping), however we know more can be done and we are investing in more resources to see that happen.”

Flytippers in Norfolk have been fined more than £35,000 since 2012, with Great Yarmouth being responsible for £22,804.

But despite it costing Norfolk councils almost £100,000 to clear up the mess caused by fly-tipping in 2019, only £730 worth of fines were collected.

There have also been 116 prosecutions in the county for fly-tipping-related incidents since 2012, with 24 of those being given in the Great Yarmouth area in 2018-19.

'There were rats and the smell was unbearable'

Towards the end of last year, residents and business owners in Thetford had been dealing with "terrible" fly-tipping on Pine Close.

One of several flytips discovered at Pine Close in Thetford. Two people and a business have been fined for their part in dumping rubbish. Picture: Breckland Council (Image: Archant)

The rubbish being dumped both in the alleyway and in the commercial bins affected businesses such as the Premier Pine Convenience Store.

Tochi Singh, who has managed the store for 12 years, said that until Breckland Council put up CCTV in the alleyway that the flytipping was "constant".

Premier on Pine Close. Fly tippers have been dumping waste behind the row of shops. Photo: Emily Thomson (Image: Archant)

She said: "There were rats because of all the rubbish and the smell was unbearable, especially when it was warm outside and the heat got to it.

"It made the alleyway look awful and it wasn't great for the area, but since the council put up CCTV cameras and the word was spread about it we have had almost no incidents."

More waste dumped at the back of shops in Pine Close despite recent fines handed out by Breckland Council. Photo: Emily Thomson (Image: Archant)

Top ten things fly-tipped in Norfolk in 2019-20

1. Council land incidents (5315)
2. Household waste (5240)
3. Rubbish in Highway (2711)
4. Black bags (1105)
5. Rubbish in back alleyway incidents (1067)
6. Rubbish in footpath or bridleway (970)
7. Unidentified (742)
8. White goods (713)
9. Tyres (545)
10. Construction or demolition rubbish (518)