Fly-tipping incidents soar in Mid Sussex

And the increase has sparked warnings from agricultural experts over the hidden financial and emotional cost of the menace to farmers.

Figures just out show that there were 5,141 incidents of fly-tipping in the Mid Sussex area in 2018/19 compared with just 198 the previous year.

Throughout the south east, a total of 83,752 fly-tipping incidents were reported in the last 12 months.

Toby Baker, of Farmers and Mercantile Insurance Brokers warned the figure does not reflect the full scale of the problem for the region’s farmers, as most cases on private land go unreported – with victims left to foot the clean-up bill. “Fly-tipping is a scourge on the farming community and their plight is not reflected in these figures as they exclude the majority of private-land incidents,” he said.

“Councils spend millions every year on clean-up costs but private landowners, such as farmers, are suffering in silence with little or no assistance or recourse.

“The burden of dumped rubbish falling squarely with farmers as they are liable for clearing it up at their own expense, or face prosecution. Moving the mess on to public land will not solve the issue, but exacerbate it, which farmers need to be mindful of.”

He said the average financial cost of fly-tipping for victims was more than £1,000 a time.

Mid Sussex District Council says it tries to remove fly-tipping from public land within three working days of it being reported.

A spokesman said: “Private landowners are responsible for removing fly-tipping from their own land.

“If you see someone fly-tipping do not stop them yourself. Try and take a photograph instead and note the location, time and date, the vehicle’s number place, a description of the vehicle including any phone numbers on it and the type of rubbish being dumped.”