Backing National Campaign to Stamp Out Waste Crime
- May 28
- 1 min read
The ‘Eyes on Waste Crime’ campaign is launched as new research reveals the scale of illegal dumping blighting communities across England
People across Newcastle-under-Lyme know better than most the devastating impact waste crime can have on communities. After years of industrial-scale dumping at Walleys Quarry, local families have seen first-hand what happens when criminals put profit before public health and our environment.
That is why I am backing a new national campaign – Eyes on Waste Crime – launched by Crimestoppers in partnership with Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Environment Agency.
The campaign gives people a safe and anonymous way to report illegal dumping, fly-tipping and organised waste crime.
New research commissioned by Crimestoppers found that nearly two-thirds of people in England noticed some form of waste crime in the last year, while more than half said it negatively affects their quality of life.
Waste crime is not a nuisance – it is organised criminal activity. Criminal gangs take money to remove rubbish and then dump it illegally, leaving communities to deal with the consequences. It is estimated to cost the English economy around £1 billion every year, yet only around 27% of waste crimes are ever reported.
Latest figures show that 1.26 million fly-tipping incidents were recorded across England in 2024/25, including more than 52,000 large-scale incidents involving tipper lorries or larger vehicles.
Anyone can report waste crime anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or by visiting the Crimestoppers website.
