Spike in rural fly-tipping amid COVID-19 lockdown

With many municipal waste disposal sites closed and lockdown encouraging people to clear out unwanted items, the countryside is being used as a dumping ground.

Farmers have witnessed a spike in fly-tipping at the start of the busy spring period, prompting Scotland’s leading rural and environmental organisations to speak out.

A joint statement from Scottish Land and Estates, National Farmers’ Union Scotland, the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime, Keep Scotland Beautiful and Zero Waste Scotland said: ‘Over the past few weeks, we have seen Scotland’s beautiful countryside being blighted even more with people’s junk. Farmers’ fields, laybys and lanes have become hot spots for DIY remnants, unwanted furniture and garden waste.

‘At a time when farmers are working around the clock to provide food for the nation and trying to keep their businesses running despite being short staffed, it is heart-breaking to see their land being used as a giant tip.

‘We are urging people to keep items at home until recycling centres reopen and charities begin to collect furniture and clothing again. Please don’t be taken in by offers of cheap disposal – that’s likely to lead to others fly-tipping your items.

‘Flytipping is illegal, ugly and dangerous. It can be harmful to lambs, calves and other animals and wildlife. But for farmers and other landowners, it is also costly to clean up. Dealing with litter and flytipping costs an eye watering £53 million of public money in Scotland every year and that’s only in relation to public land. This money could be better spent elsewhere, particularly at this time.

‘We urge anyone who notices flytipping to report it so it can be dealt with by the appropriate authority. This can be done in a number of ways, including through the online Dumb Dumpers website or reporting directly to the relevant local authority.’