FARMERS NATIONWIDE are bearing the burden of flytipping on private land, being left with the responsibility and cost of clearing up other people's rubbish.

Recent figures from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs could only account for increased flytipping cases on council land, but still found the problem increasing, with a 7% rise in incidents in 2017.

More than one million incidents of flytipping were dealt with by councils in England in 2016-17 alone, costing taxpayers almost £58 million in clear up.

Where farmers fall prey to this crime, the average clear up cost is £1000 per incident – and they can also be held liable if the rubbish dumped on their land damages the countryside.

William Nicholl, head of insurance firm Lycetts’ rural division, warned that the latest figures, as high as they seem, were not a true reflection of the cost of flytipping across England: “Farmers are well aware of this issue and are saddened by the visual impact it has on the countryside they maintain, as well as it being a nuisance and inconvenience when trying to get on with their normal, daily jobs.

“However, I don’t think that farmers are as aware that, should they fail to deal with incidences of flytipping on their land and it leads to environmental damage, they could be held liable under the Environmental Protection Act 1990," warned Mr Nicholl.

“With many authorities looking at introducing charges for bulky waste and organic waste collections and charging for dumping waste at council-run tips, there is a fear that flytipping incidents on farmland will increase.”

Mr Nicholl said that, despite the increase in flytipping incidents, a relatively small number of farmers make insurance claims for flytipping, as many have the kit and manpower to deal with such incidents. But he stressed the importance of having sufficient protection for farming businesses, particularly in the case of repeat offences.

“Farmers are not only having to fork out for clean-up costs but are having to worry about the damage it can cause to workers and their animals. Flytipping can affect every part of their livelihood,” he added.