Majority of farmers victims of fly-tipping, finds NFU survey

More than half of farmers (52%) surveyed by the NFU were found to have experienced at least some level of fly-tipping on their land.

The survey also found that almost a third (30%) of respondents had been targeted by large-scale fly-tipping, which covered dumped loads from tipper lorries, commercial vans or even multiple large loads at the same location.

The NFU surveyed 620 farming members between 25 May and 11 June this year.

See also: Fly-tipping figures trigger strong farmer backlash

Almost half (48%) of those surveyed had noticed fly-tipping cases getting worse during the past five years.

NFU vice-president Rachel Hallos said: “It comes as absolutely no surprise that the results of this latest NFU survey show that more and more of our farms and countryside spaces are being used as dumping grounds.

“Our members tell us they’ve experienced battered old kitchen appliances, sofas and mattresses abandoned on their land, as well as industrial-scale amounts of hazardous and toxic materials such as asbestos.

“One also had 10 fridge freezers left in a gateway. It’s shocking and no exaggeration to say that fly-tipping is a constant blot on the landscape.”

Figures from the NFU survey have been included in a Channel 4 Dispatches programme titled Rubbish Tip Britain.

The NFU also received more than 19,000 signatures last month on a letter urging police and crime commissioners to tackle rural crime.

Legislation is currently being considered in Scotland that could see the responsibility for clearing up fly-tipped waste on farmland shift from landowners to the public authorities.