The Liberal Democrats have unveiled a plan to pay cash rewards of up to £5,000 to individuals whose tip-offs lead to successful prosecutions of illegal waste dumpers. The party says the initiative would bolster council enforcement efforts against what it calls an "environmental emergency" of fly-tipping across England.
Alongside the reward scheme, the Lib Dems propose capping bulky waste collection fees at £5 to encourage proper disposal of household items. They argue this would reduce the incentive to dump waste illegally. The reduced charges would be funded by increasing minimum fines for fly-tipping to £2,500, five times the current average.
Fly-tipping incidents handled by English councils rose by 9% last year to 1.26 million, with large-scale clean-ups costing £19.3 million. The Environment Agency dealt with 98 of the most hazardous cases. Notable incidents include a 21,000-tonne waste pile in Oxfordshire that will cost taxpayers £7.3 million to clear.
Some councils already operate tip-off reward schemes, but at lower amounts. Labour-run Merton pays up to £200 for court cases, while Conservative East Hampshire offers up to £500. The Lib Dems want their higher rewards to incentivise more reports.
The party also wants the National Crime Agency to handle the most serious cases, replacing the Environment Agency. Labour recently announced new powers for councils to force fly-tippers to clean up their mess, and the Conservatives have proposed adding points to offenders' driving licenses. Reform UK backs CCTV in hotspots, and the Green Party advocates for more accessible waste disposal services.