Fly-tippers could be forced to carry out unpaid cleaning of streets, parks and dumping hotspots under new plans announced by the government.
Fly-tippers in so-called “cleanup squads” will be given conditional warnings by local authorities, forcing them to clean up trash for 20 hours.
currently, fly-spreader Punishments are imposed only after conviction, often after lengthy court proceedings.
The government hopes that the implementation of this scheme will accelerate.
The measure is part of a major 10-point plan being unveiled by the Environment Agency on Friday, aimed at tackling both low-level fly-tipping and large-scale organized illegal waste crime.
EA staff block illegal waste dump site in Epping, Essex
Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said: “If you litter on our streets, you will be joining the clean-up squad and picking up the bill, not the taxpayer.
“We are cracking down on these criminals, making sure those responsible come clean and pay up. This Government is handing over powers to both the Environment Agency and local authorities to boost waste crime enforcement, impose tougher penalties and tackle illegal dumping faster.”
The government says there has been an 8% increase in enforcement action against fly-spreaderLocal authorities took 572,000 actions in 2024/25.
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The EA’s enforcement budget for 2025/26 has been increased to £15.6 million – but many still feel it is not enough to tackle the rapidly growing problem.
It is expected that new cleaning squad measures will be introduced in early 2027.
