THE number of fly-tipping reports made to Glasgow City Council dropped significantly in 2022, new figures obtained reveal. 

In 2021, people reported 25,123 incidents of flytipping compared to 21,251 in 2022.  The total amount sat at about 20,458 in 2020.

As part of a move to stop people from dumping their rubbish on the street, the Scottish Government has launched a new six-year national litter and fly-tipping strategy to allow councils, businesses, the third sector and communities to work together to prevent the issue from reccuring and “encourage behaviour change”.

Fines for fly-tipping could also be more than doubled to £500. Glasgow City Council says it is looking closely at the new strategy to determine what that might mean for them.

A spokesperson said: “The drop in fly-tipping reports in 2022 is clearly to be welcomed.

“Fly-tipping is an environmental crime that blights communities and places an unnecessary strain on public resources.

“People always have an obligation to ensure their waste and unwanted items are disposed of correctly and one fly-tipping incident is one too many.

“There is no excuse for fly-tipping due to the range of options available for waste disposal such as going to our household waste recycling centres, requesting a bulk uplift for £5 per item or using the various re-use services available online.

“The data we gather from the reports we receive helps to inform where we target our enforcement activity and we are also proactively engaging with local businesses to ensure they have the necessary waste disposal arrangements in place.”

Part of the Scottish Government’s strategy is an action plan detailing specific actions and interventions to be progressed in the first year.

Key measures include fines for fly-tipping to be more than doubled to £500 and the introduction of new powers to impose a fine on the registered keeper of a vehicle from which a littering offence is committed.

There is also to be a new national online litter hub to provide information, advice and support to community groups and other relevant local organisations on tackling abandoned rubbish and littering behaviour.

Dedicated support for private landowners – including funding for trials – to help deter and deal with fly-tipping affecting their land and increased action to detect and disrupt fly-tippers, especially unregistered waste carriers advertising online, are also part of the plans. 

The spokesperson added: “We are looking closely at the recently published national fly-tipping and litter strategy to understand fully what new powers might be available to us to tackle those who dump waste illegally.

“We will continue to monitor closely the reports we receive and take appropriate action as is required.”