The maximum fine for fly-tipping in England is set to rise by 400% to £5,000 as part of the government’s waste crime action plan.
Anyone caught littering could now also face a £750 fine, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) also announced.
Commenting on the legislation, Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds called fly-tipping and littering a ‘disgrace’ that ‘blights local communities’.
“We are sending a clear message to those who dump their rubbish – we are coming after you and you will pay the price,” Reynolds said.
In 2023, the Conservative government under Rishi Sunak’s leadership increased the upper limit on fines for fly-tipping from £400 to £1,000 as part of its plan to tackle ‘anti-social behaviour’.
Local authorities will retain full discretion over the level of fine issued and can scale penalties to reflect the severity of the offence.
The UK government said the fines will act as a stronger deterrent and reflect the real harm that waste criminals cause to the communities and environment.
The new legislation is the latest move under the government’s Waste Crime Action Plan, which sets out a range of measures to stop waste criminals.
Some of the measures introduced includes the Digital Waste Tracking service, court powers that mean fly-tippers risk losing their driving licence, and enhanced background checks for waste carriers.