The Earl of Bradfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will substantiate the statement in answer to his Starred Question of 17th January that "the level of fly-tipping has decreased over the years since the introduction of the Environmental Protection Act 1990".
§ Viscount UllswaterEvidence about the nature and extent of fly-tipping is mainly anecdotal. However, there is some firm evidence, especially in London, that the incidence of fly-tipping has declined significantly in the last four years. The London Waste Regulation Authority60WA Fly-Tipping Action Line received 1,450 calls in 1989, 1,100 in 1992, 435 in 1993, and 305 in the first six months of 1994.
The new controls and increased penalties under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, dealing with waste management and disposal, are thought to have contributed to this decline. The duty of care under the 1990 Act places a responsibility on everyone who has control of waste to ensure that it is properly managed from production to disposal. Producers of waste must satisfy themselves that they are passing it on to people who will handle it properly and will ensure its safe disposal.
In addition, regulations under the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 (the Controlled Waste (Registration of Carriers and Seizure of Vehicles) Regulations 1991), which require that anyone carrying waste must be registered with a waste regulation authority, are thought to have made a significant contribution to the deterrence, detection and prosecution of fly-tipping.