Doncaster revealed to be third-worst place in UK for fly-tipping

New analysis shows DMBC were alerted to 3,115 incidents of fly-tipping up to April 2020 - only Bristol and Glasgow councils received more reports across the UK.

A report reveals councils had to deal with an average of 2,568 incidents of fly-tipping during 2019/2020 but Doncaster Council dealt with 9,750.

This was actually down on the previous financial year where the council responded to 12,213 incidents.

Based on the FOI data obtained by outdoor company TOG24, the figures reveal that the average local authority paid out around £223,000 in 2019 clearing up litter left by thoughtless fly-tippers.

Doncaster Council spent over this average at £227,876 but this down from the £357,845 spent in 2018.

In April 2020, amidst the Coronavirus pandemic and at a time when fly-tipping dramatically increased across the county, the council launched a well-publicised campaign to warn fly-tippers to beware and encourage people to make sure Doncaster remains clean and tidy.

Fly-tippers can receive a fine of up to £50,000 and DMBC has successfully brought a number of people to court over a variety of fly-tipping offences over the last few years.

The council also announced earlier in the year they would be investing in more cameras to catch fly-tippers in the act.

The latest data comes after a video went viral on social media of a Doncaster resident running after a van which dumped waste in back fields close to an estate in Armthorpe.

Mark Ward, TOG 24’s managing director said “We love the British countryside and are really keen for everyone else to love it as much as we do, but it’s hard when there’s rubbish strewn everywhere.

“As well as the impact on the countryside, there’s also the financial aspect in terms of the costs to local authorities.

"As has been seen from the research carried out amongst councils around the UK these are significant costs at a time when councils face a lot of other challenges and this money could be better spent elsewhere, such as helping people get more access to the countryside which has proven benefits on mental and physical health and wellbeing.”

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