Brits: 'Love your Countryside' this Easter

Fly-tipping continues to be a major problem for farmers across the country with two thirds of farmers affected. During 2012/13 there were 711,000 incidents and a study has revealed the cost of clearing fly-tipped waste from agricultural land was around £47m.

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Items that are routinely dumped include old fridges, chairs, mattresses, tyres and contaminated waste, with farmers and landowners then left to pay the clean-up bill.

NFU Deputy President Minette Batters said: “Fly-tipping on private land remains a significant problem for farmers and landowners who are left frustrated when they, the victims of a crime, are left to clear up dumped waste and then made to pay to dispose of it.  This waste is not only unsightly, it is a danger to human health, livestock and wildlife and in some cases can pollute watercourses and contaminate land.

Advice on how to dispose of unwanted goods

The NFU’s aiming to raise awareness of the issue and remind homeowners they have a duty of care to ensure their rubbish is disposed of correctly while encouraging them to report any unscrupulous rogue traders.

“We want homeowners to be more responsible for their actions. They should ensure that any rubbish is taken away by a registered carrier and get a receipt. If not, they run the real risk of being prosecuted if any dumped waste is traced back to them,” she said.

“Let’s not ruin the view of the great British countryside. We must develop local solutions to tackle the issue by involving local authorities, the Environment Agency, police forces and farmers. By working together on a local level we can find effective solutions to the problem and in turn, back British farming.”