Britain's HAZARDOUS waste hotspot: As more people dump rubbish illegally, this area saw 363 incidents of asbestos being fly-tipped
- There was a fly-tipping incident every 25 seconds in England last year
There was a fly-tipping incident once every 25 seconds across England last year, Government data shows.
In the period 2024-25, local authorities in England dealt with nearly 1.26million fly-tipping incidents, an increase of 9 per cent from the previous year.
The majority of people who dumped their waste illegally, 62 per cent or 777,000, were throwing away household rubbish and the most popular location was on pavements and by the side of the road which accounted for 37 per cent of incidents.
The most common amount of waste to be dumped illegally was equivalent to a 'small van load', followed by the equivalent of a car boot or less. However, more people were ditching larger loads, the data showed.
About 52,000 or around 4 per cent of total incidents were of 'tipper lorry load' size or larger, representing an 11 per cent increase on the previous year.
The number of white goods fly-tipping incidents in 2024-25 was 60,000, an increase of 11 per cent from the 54,000 reported in 2023-24.
The data also revealed the extent of people dumping hazardous waste, which can include vehicle parts, animal carcasses, clinical waste, asbestos, and chemical drums, oil and fuel - with one area emerging as a hotspot.
Crooks dumping asbestos, vehicle parts and chemicals
Hazardous fly-tipping incidents accounted for less than 1 per cent of total incidents, but remain prevalent in certain locations.
According to an analysis of the Government's most recent available fly-tipping data by disposal company BusinessWaste.co.uk, Haringey in north east London was England's hazardous waste fly-tipping hotspot in the period.
Haringey's local authority saw 16,915 fly-tipping incidents in 2024-25, with 465 of these deemed to be hazardous waste.
While the area did not have any fly-tipped clinical waste, it did see 363 incidents of illegal asbestos dumping and 102 occasions of fly-tipped chemical drums, oil, or fuel incidents.
While Liverpool recorded the highest total number of hazardous fly-tipping incidents overall, Haringey ranked highest when adjusted for population, with its 263,850 residents giving it the highest rate per capita.
Mark Hall, a waste management expert at BusinessWaste.co.uk, said: 'All illegal waste dumping is damaging to the environment and local community, but hazardous waste is particularly concerning as it contains toxic, persistent, or reactive materials.
'Substances such as asbestos, oils, chemicals, and fuel are not only more toxic but also often require specialist handling and disposal. When dumped illegally, they can contaminate soil and water, release harmful particles into the air, and create safety risks for both the public and council workers.'
Kings Lynn and West Norfolk were the second worst hotspots for hazardous waste fly-tipping in the period per capita, seeing 266 incidents comprising 14.53 per cent of illegal dumping in these locations.
The east of England authority had four incidents of asbestos being illegally dumped, 25 incidents involving clinical waste and 237 involving chemical waste, according to the business waste group's analysis.
Richmond-upon-Thames in Surrey came in third place with 15.66 hazardous illegal dumping incidents per 10,000 people, 5.49 per cent of all fly-tipping in the area. The local authority saw no asbestos or clinical incidents, but chemical drums, oil, or fuel incidents were dumped 308 times.
Hall added: 'As hazardous waste disposal can be more expensive and logistically complex, this sometimes leads people to fly-tip this type of waste to cut costs or time. Incidents can be down to individuals or linked to rogue waste operators who are paid to remove materials but then instead dispose of them illegally to cut costs and maximise profit.
'If you come across any kind of fly tipping, keep your distance, don’t disturb it, and immediately report it to the council, who will be able to assess the material and dispose of it appropriately.'
Grim: A huge mound of fly-tipped waste found in Birmingham earlier this year
Disgraceful: A 150m-long waste mound near Kidlington, Oxfordshire, was discovered in 2025
Big job: Work started to clear the colossal fly-tipping site in Kidlington in January 2026
Why is fly-tipping increasing?
Fly-tipping is illegal, yet on the rise. In November 2025, a 150m-long waste mound near Kidlington, Oxfordshire, was described by Keir Starmer as 'utterly appalling'. Preparation work to clear the site began in January 2026.
A growing number of experts in the waste disposal sector believe high waste disposal costs are prompting more individuals and criminal gangs to fly-tip.
Many local authorities have also made it more difficult to go to the tip and dispose of waste. In some cases, vehicles have to be registered before entry and households and businesses are limited to a certain number of visits each year.
Unlicensed waste removal services also often take payment for disposals, but dump the waste illegally instead of using registered facilities.
Plus, for criminals, fly-tipping is often viewed as a low-risk high-reward activity, with prosecution rates remaining low relative to the scale of the problem.
Local councils spend large sums every year removing fly-tipped waste, which ultimately comes from taxpayer money.
Who is responsible for clearing up fly-tipping?
Responsibility for clearing waste depends on the location. Typically, local authorities are responsible for removing fly-tipping on public land such as roads and pavements, where the majority of incidents occur.
Private landowners, including farmers and businesses, are often left to cover the cost when waste is dumped on their property or land.
Be particularly careful if you suspect hazardous waste has been dumped.
Hall, of BusinessWaste.co.uk, said: 'If you suspect the waste is hazardous, ensure the council is alerted to ensure that the waste is removed safely and correctly. They will often look to investigate the perpetrator.
'If you come across suspected hazardous waste on your own land, first and foremost, do not touch or move the waste.
'Instead, contact your local council’s environmental services team as soon as possible. They will send someone to assess the waste, arrange removal, and escalate to the environmental health agency if needed.
'You can document the waste by taking photos, noting the date and time of discovery and try to obtain any evidence, such as CCTV footage or speak with neighbours to see if they saw anything suspicious.”
'Warning signs that waste may be hazardous include visual clinical waste such as syringes, fibrous material which could be asbestos, or strong fumes which may signify chemical waste.'
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