Council records second-highest fly-tipping prosecutions in Wales

Anthony Lewis, Local Democracy Reporter

One county saw the second highest number of prosecutions for fly-tipping in Wales last year.

Figures from Welsh Government and Fly-tipping Action Wales show Rhondda Cynon Taf carried out 18 successful prosecutions for fly tipping in 2024/25, second only to Cardiff with 20.

They say enforcement activity has reached its highest level in six years with more than double the number of actions being taken compared with the previous year, excluding investigations.

There’s been a 14.7% rise in fly-tipping incidents with more than 1,500 fines issued between April 2024 and March 2025.

This includes a total of 48,367 cases of illegal waste dumping – around 133 incidents every day – logged by councils.

And Newport is leading the way after carrying out 2,386 enforcement actions (not including investigations) leading to a reduction in fly-tipping incidents.

A Rhondda Cynon Taf council spokesman said: “Fly-tipping will not be tolerated ever in RCT.

“The fact that we are once again one of the lead councils in Wales to take action just shows how seriously we take it.

“There is never an excuse to blight our towns, streets, and villages with waste and we will find those responsible and hold them to account.

”As this report highlights we investigate all fly-tipping reports and will do everything in our power to uncover all the details needed to catch offenders red-handed.

”Removal of fly-tipping costs hundreds of thousands of pounds each year, which should be spent on key frontline services at a time when budgets are under significant pressures.

“Many of the items we recover on our streets, towns, and mountains could have been taken to a community recycling centre or collected from the kerbside at no extra cost.”

The council mentioned the example of the Bwlch mountain and said council officers have met on site with Councillor Ann Crimmings, the council’s cabinet member for environmental services, Huw Irranca-Davies MS, the deputy first minister and cabinet secretary for climate change and rural affairs, and the landowner Katie Davies to discuss options and a way forward to remove the fly-tipping.

Offers of help have also been received from Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team (MRT).

The waste that was safe to remove at the top of the mountain by the layby has already been removed and all partners are now actively working together to find a solution as soon as weather conditions and operations allow, the council said.

New signs

The streetcare team have also placed new signs in the area and are exploring new technology to deter anyone thinking of fly-tipping on the Bwlch Mountain.

Fines are used for smaller-scale offences such as littering, minor fly-tipping, and failing to check a waste carrier’s licence while prosecutions target large-scale, repeat, or commercial fly-tipping as well as the dumping of hazardous waste.

The report also highlights 71% of the fly-tips recorded contained household waste.

Householders who don’t check for a licence face a fixed penalty of £300 or a fine of up to £5,000 and a criminal record if taken to a magistrates’ court.

Heidi Pawlin, programme manager for Fly-tipping Action Wales, said: “Fly-tipping damages our environment, costs taxpayers millions, and undermines communities.

“Help keep your local community clean — if you’re paying someone to take your waste away always check they have a waste carrier’s licence with Natural Resources Wales.”