News

Fears high charges for bulky waste collection are sparking fly tipping increase

28 Jul 2026 3 minute read

The minimum cost for a single bulky item to be disposed of in Wrexham is over £50 more than the cheapest authority in Wales.

Alec Doyle, Local Democracy Reporter

High charges for collecting bulky household waste may be helping to fuel fly tipping in one Welsh county, according to a new analysis.

Businesswaste.co.uk has released new data confirming that Wrexham’s minimum fee of £57.50 for a single item is the second highest charge in Wales.

According to commercial waste management firm Businesswaste.co.uk the fee may be contributing to Wrexham’s difficulties with fly-tipping.

It has produced data on bulky waste charges which show that Wrexham’s minimum fee of £57.50 for a single item is the second highest charge in Wales.

The fee is £10 cheaper than the top charging local authority – Ceredigion – and more than £50 higher than the lowest in Wales – Blaenau Gwent – which charges £7.10 for a single bulky item.

Wrexham’s minimum fee – which covers between one and eight items – is also higher than the most expensive average UK charge – South East of England.

Down there fees average out at £46. In Wales the average minimum bulky waste charge is £34.

According to the data fly-tipping has hit record levels in the UK, with 1.26 million incidents recorded in 2024-25 – the most recent year full data is available.

That year Wrexham ranked seventh in Wales for incidents of fly tipping with 2,335 incidents. According the Wrexham County Borough Council last year incidences of fly tipping fell to 1,689 and they are expected to further fall this year following the authority’s investment in additional enforcement cameras to monitor key fly-tipping sites.

Cllr David Bithell, Deputy Leader of Wrexham Council and Lead Member for the Environment said: “Most authorities charge for up to three items, we charge for up to eight items including fridges.

“All costs we recover are in line with the council’s cost recovery policy.”

Mark Hall, waste management expert at Businesswaste.co.uk said: “It’s clear to see there is a real postcode lottery for bulky waste collections across the UK.

“Some councils provide a free or, in Wales, a very cheap service while the minimum charge from others is up around £50, £60, £70. In some areas neighbouring local authorities even starkly contrast each other.

“Fly-tipping has hit record levels in the UK, with 1.26 million incidents recorded in 2024-25 and reports of large-scale illegal dumps. As a result many local councils are looking to explore strategies to tackle the surge in waste crime and fly-tipping.

“Council bulky waste collections provide a great option for residents who may struggle to transport items to their local Household Waste and Recycling Centre (HWRC) as an alternative to breaking the law and fly-tipping. They ensure streets are kept clean and that neighbourhood quality is maintained.

“That’s why the service must be kept at an accessible price point.”

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