Police and partners take a stand against fly-tipping in East Devon

Devon & Cornwall Police’s Rural Affairs team supported East Devon District Council and key partners to tackle the growing issue of fly-tipping as part of an engagement event that took place last week.

Devon & Cornwall Police’s Rural Affairs team supported East Devon District Council and key partners to tackle the growing issue of fly-tipping as part of an engagement event that took place last week.

The event was held at the Model Airfield Car Park on Woodbury Common on Monday 2 June, and featured a specially staged, realistic fly-tip using items recently recovered from fly-tipping incidents. Items included garden furniture, computer chairs, bicycles, plastic wrap and tyres.

Dog walkers, runners and passers-by spoke with Rural Affairs officers, council staff and representatives from the Environment Agency, Clean Devon and Clinton Devon Estates about the implications of fly-tipping and were handed information about reporting.

Tackling fly-tipping is a policing priority and is outlined in the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy 2022-2025.

In 2024, almost 5000 incidents of fly-tipping were reported to Devon County Council – an increase of 11% from the previous year.

The Rural Affairs team work closely with local authorities and partner agencies to raise public awareness about how fly-tipping damages the natural environment, harms local communities and affects public health.

Rural Affairs Officer PC Clarke Orchard said: “Fly-tipping can cause significant damage to the environment and its wildlife, and we know that it is a growing concern for people living in rural areas of Devon and Cornwall.

“The staged fly-tip was an innovative way to demonstrate what illegal waste dumping looks like and allowed us to work with partners to have constructive conversations with members of the public about importance of reporting fly-tipping.”

Fly-tippers can receive significant fines in Magistrates’ Courts and unlimited fines in higher courts, as well as community punishment orders or prison sentences of up to five years.

PC Orchard added: “Anyone with information relating to the identities of people responsible for fly-tipping should contact their local authority. For large-scale waste dumping, please contact the Environment Agency.

“If waste is causing an obstruction on a road or a fly-tipping crime is in progress, it is considered a police matter. In these instances, please call 999.”

Fly-tipping has links to organised criminality, scarring the landscape and threatening wildlife. Fly-tipping also absorbs public funds that could be used for vital local services and is estimated to cost the UK £1 billion every year.

Kevin Baker, Environment Agency Waste Crime Officer, said: "Unscrupulous criminals target communities by illegally dumping waste and they cause a blight on the local environment. To address this, we've built strong partnerships and launched operations to combat these threats.

“Our commitment is unwavering and we're working across agencies to bring these criminals to justice. We encourage anyone who suspects waste crime activity to report it to us, in confidence, on our 24-hour hotline 0800 807 060.”

Councillor Geoff Jung, Portfolio Holder Environment – Operational, East Devon District Council, said: “This specially organised event enabled us to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners and send a clear message: fly-tipping will not be tolerated in East Devon, and it’s everyone’s responsibility to report it when they see it.

“Staging the event on Woodbury Common powerfully illustrated the damage fly-tipping inflicts on our countryside, the threats it poses to wildlife, and the unfair burden it places on landowners and local taxpayers.

“By working together, we can protect our environment and create lasting, positive change.”

East Devon District Council is responsible for the removal of fly-tipping from council-owned property, Devon County Council highways, roads, pavements and lay-bys. It is the responsibility of landowners to remove fly-tipping from private property.

Reports can be made via the East Devon District Council website at www.eastdevon.gov.uk/report-fly-tipping.

Information relating to fly-tipping can also be shared anonymously with Crime Stoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or visiting www.crimestoppers-uk.org