New figures released this week by Welsh Government and Fly-tipping Action Wales reveal a 14.7% rise in fly-tipping incidents 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 local authorities.
Despite the increase in incidents, councils have stepped up their response and enforcement activity has reached its highest level in six years, with more than double the number of actions being taken compared with last year (excluding investigations).
More than 1,500 fines (fixed penalty notices) were issued during the year, alongside 69 successful prosecutions — with the highest number recorded in Cardiff (20), followed by Rhondda Cynon Taff (18) and Carmarthenshire (9).
These enforcement measures are designed to deter offenders and protect communities. Fixed penalty notices 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 that 71% of the fly-tips recorded contained household waste. This figure could be dramatically reduced if householders followed their waste Duty of Care — ensuring they hire only registered waste carriers.
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. Waste carrier licences can be checked via naturalresources.wales/CheckWasteLicence or call 0300 065 3000.
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.”
Following a year of rising incidents, the report highlights how councils across Wales are stepping up their response with renewed focus and smarter, more coordinated action. In Newport, enforcement has increased dramatically from 146 actions to 2,386 (not including investigations) – the highest of any Welsh authority whilst Neath Port Talbot has continued to seize and crush vehicles linked to fly-tipping alongside running targeted operations against repeat offenders (vehicle seizures are not published on StatsWales). The Council has even worked with local school pupils to create a new community mural, acting as a striking reminder of how illegal dumping affects neighbourhoods and landscapes across Wales.
Together, these efforts show how local authorities are combining enforcement, collaboration and community engagement to protect their communities and deter those who continue to blight them.
For more information on disposing of waste responsibly and checking registered waste carriers, visit: Flytippingactionwales.org
