Recent media coverage by the BBC and elsewhere has started to expose the severity of the UK’s fly-tipping epidemic.
Rising waste disposal costs are increasing the pressure put on households, businesses and the construction sector, which may be driving more people towards unlawful activities.
For people feeling economic pressure, breaking the law might make them search for shortcuts to keep costs down.
However, a rise in criminal confidence is more of a factor than rising costs, as criminals believe they can act with impunity.
This has led to the operation of illegal dumping schemes that operate on a previously unthinkable scale.
In Oxfordshire, a 60-metre-long, pre-shredded waste dump was discovered.
Described as ‘very well organised’, the fact that it was seemingly run by criminal gangs is a sign of how emboldened they have now become.
The activities of criminals are outpacing any attempts at law enforcement and an awareness that the law cannot keep up is lessening the perceived risk of wrongdoing.
This situation is also fuelling a collapse in public trust.
51 per cent of UK adults have reported seeing fly-tipping in their local area, with 81 per cent claiming the Government is not doing enough to stop it.
If the general public is aware that law enforcement is struggling, it is clear that the message has been received by the criminals as well.
The question remains as to whether this is being driven by an underlying issue of landfills being too expensive.
While it is true that rising costs will cause a shift in behaviour, as can be observed through construction and housing, there is more to the issue than cost.
Criminals have determined that they can make money without there being much to stop them from doing so.
This has resulted in large-scale coordinated dumping operations that overwhelm councils that lack the budget to stymie the damage done to local communities.
Seemingly, the only way to tackle the problem will be to close the gap between policy, enforcement and capability.
Until then, rising costs and further criminal activity can be expected as frustrated communities do what they can to pick up the pieces.
A lack of deterrent is at the core of the issue and until criminals become fearful that their actions will negatively impact them, there is little to stop their behaviour continuing.
Our specialist team can support you with compliance awareness so that you do not get caught out. Contact John Dyne today for help.