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Rubbish is mainly discovered on highways and footpaths

Fly-tipped waste was discovered thousands of times in Bedford last year, new figures show.

Environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy said the high level of fly-tipping seen across England is a "tragedy" to the environment and to communities.

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Not only is fly-tipping an eyesore, it's also a serious environmental and public health risk

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs figures reveal there were 2,241 fly-tipping incidents in Bedford in the year to March 2022 – though this was down from 3,063 the year before.

The figures come as a man was fined £400 over a week ago for dumping oil at a glass recycling bank in Great Denham

A significant amount of fly-tipping in the area last year was discovered on highways (58%) and on footpaths and bridleways (22%).

Of the discarded waste, the largest proportion was household waste (57%) followed by household black bin bags (15%).

The data also shows £21,950 was paid by councils on removing large incidents of fly-tipping in Bedford.

Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Keep Britain Tidy chief executive, said: “A million plus fly-tipping incidents is a tragedy for the environment and communities and illustrates just how little people understand about the impact their unwanted ‘stuff’ can have."

Ms Ogden-Newton added there must be a concerted effort to educate the public about their role in solving the problem.

“We need immediate and tough enforcement that targets the rogue traders who are making a fortune by breaking the law, raking in the cash and wrecking our environment," she added.

The Defra figures show in Bedford, 97 fixed penalty notices were issued last year, up from 65 in 2020-21. And no fines were issued by courts in the year to March – a fall from one the year prior.

Bedford Borough Council says it will continue to clamp down on fly-tipping, and anyone caught can expect a fixed penalty notice or prosecution.

Councillor Charles Royden, portfolio holder for environment, said: “Fly-tipping can ruin our countryside and our communities, we will continue to raise awareness that it is criminal and unacceptable. Our enforcement teams work tirelessly to find and prosecute people who are carrying out unlawful activities.”

If you see someone fly-tipping, report it as soon as possible online

Thousands of fly-tipping incidents in Bedford