J6: Waste Crime
Short Description
This indicator tracks changes in the scale of key aspects of waste crime. Waste crime is a broad term encompassing fly-tipping, illegal waste sites, illegal waste exports, the misdescription of waste and illegal waste dumping, among other illegal waste-related activities. If not handled properly, waste can cause serious pollution of the environment – air, land and water, which can also be harmful to health. It further reduces the availability of resources from waste. Current data reported include illegal waste sites and fly-tipping. The underpinning data can be used to establish the level of criminal activity for some aspects of waste crime and geographic distribution. Options for further development will be considered, including the impacts and behavioural aspects of waste crime, the amount and types of potential resources lost through waste crime, and to reflect the need for targeting and effective enforcement to deliver reductions in the level of criminal activities.
Readiness and links to data
This indicator is not available for reporting in 2024 in a finalised form. An interim indicator is presented here that shows the number of: (a) illegal waste sites and (b) fly-tipping incidents in England. Some data on illegal waste sites (waste crime) and fly-tipping are already published, but further work is required to develop the final indicator.
Indicator components
Figure J6a: Illegal waste sites in England, 2009/2010 to 2022/2023
Table J6a: Illegal waste sites in England, 2009/2010 to 2022/2023
| Financial year | Active high-risk sites | Total active sites |
|---|---|---|
| 2009/2010 | - | 680.00 |
| 2010/2011 | - | 618.00 |
| 2011/2012 | 315.00 | 1,011.00 |
| 2012/2013 | 353.00 | 820.00 |
| 2013/2014 | 272.00 | 556.00 |
| 2014/2015 | 282.00 | 598.00 |
| 2015/2016 | 273.00 | 622.00 |
| 2016/2017 | 262.00 | 601.00 |
| 2017/2018 | 267.00 | 673.00 |
| 2018/2019 | 255.00 | 685.00 |
| 2019/2020 | 238.00 | 544.00 |
| 2020/2021 | 197.00 | 470.00 |
| 2021/2022 | 188.00 | 419.00 |
| 2022/2023 | 174.00 | 407.00 |
Trend description for J6a
The total number of illegal waste sites in England fell from a peak of 1,011 active sites in the 2011/2012 financial year to 556 active sites in 2013/2014. Since then, the number increased gradually, reaching 685 sites in 2018/2019, before falling again to 407 sites in 2022/2023. Of these, the number of active high-risk illegal waste sites fell by 51% from a peak of 353 sites in 2012/2013 to 174 sites in 2022/2023.
Assessment of change
There has been a decrease (an improvement) recorded over the short, medium and long term for J6a, illegal waste sites in England.
Change since 2018 has also been assessed. The number of illegal waste sites has decreased since the 2018/2019 financial year. However, this is based on only 5 data points so should be considered as indicative and not evidence of a clear trend.
Further information on this assessment, along with details on the methodology, is provided in the Assessment background page. Summaries by 25 Year Environment Plan goal and information on indicator links are presented in the Assessment results pages.
Table J6a: Assessment of change
| Component | Subcomponent | Period | Date range | Percentage change | Smoothing function | Assessment of change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J6a | Total active sites | Short term | 2016/2017 to 2021/2022 | -28.08 | Loess | Improvement |
| J6a | Total active sites | Medium term | 2011/2012 to 2021/2022 | -41.00 | Loess | Improvement |
| J6a | Total active sites | Long term | 2009/2010 to 2021/2022 | -35.07 | Loess | Improvement |
Note that assessment categories were assigned based on smoothed data, so percent change figures in table J6a may differ from unsmoothed values quoted elsewhere. Percent change refers to the difference seen from the first to last year in the specified date range.
Figure J6b: Fly-tipping incidents in England, 2007/2008 to 2022/2023
Table J6b: Fly-tipping incidents in England, 2007/2008 to 2022/2023
| Financial year | New Methodology | Old Methodology |
|---|---|---|
| 2007/2008 | - | 1,284.12 |
| 2008/2009 | - | 1,165.00 |
| 2009/2010 | - | 946.91 |
| 2010/2011 | - | 819.57 |
| 2011/2012 | - | 744.41 |
| 2012/2013 | - | 714.64 |
| 2013/2014 | - | 857.65 |
| 2014/2015 | - | 905.60 |
| 2015/2016 | - | 941.90 |
| 2016/2017 | - | 1,011.20 |
| 2017/2018 | - | 997.61 |
| 2018/2019 | 957.16 | 1,072.47 |
| 2019/2020 | 979.73 | - |
| 2020/2021 | 1,138.35 | - |
| 2021/2022 | 1,091.02 | - |
| 2022/2023 | 1,082.67 | - |
Trend description for J6b
The total number of fly-tipping incidents reported in England fell from 1.28 million incidents in the 2007/2008 financial year to 715,000 incidents in 2012/2013. Since these initial reductions, the number of incidents reported under the old methodology increased to over 1 million (1.07 million) between 2012/2013 and 2018/2019. The total number of fly-tipping incidents reported in 2018/2019 under the new methodology was 957,000. In the 4 years to 2022/2023, this total increased by 13.1% to 1.08 million incidents.
Assessment of change
A new methodology was introduced in 2018 for J6b but, as this was not directly comparable to the previous method and only 5 data points are currently available, only data based on the old method has been included in the short and medium-term assessments.
There has been an improvement recorded over the medium term for J6b Fly-tipping incidents in England. However, this measure has deteriorated in the short term with the number of fly tipping incidents increasing.
Change since 2018 has also been assessed under the new methodology. Fly tipping incidents recorded under the new methodology have increased over the assessment period (a deterioration). However, this is based on only 5 data points so should be considered as indicative and not evidence of a clear trend.
Further information on this assessment, along with details on the methodology, is provided in the Assessment background page. Summaries by 25 Year Environment Plan goal and information on indicator links are presented in the Assessment results pages.
Table J6b: Assessment of change
| Component | Subcomponent | Period | Date range | Percentage change | Smoothing function | Assessment of change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J6b | Old Methodology | Short term | 2012/2013 to 2017/2018 | 36.04 | Loess | Deterioration |
| J6b | Old Methodology | Medium term | 2007/2008 to 2017/2018 | -21.96 | Loess | Improvement |
| J6b | Old Methodology | Long term | N/A | N/A | N/A | Not assessed |
Note that assessment categories were assigned based on smoothed data, so percent change figures in table J6b may differ from unsmoothed values quoted elsewhere. Percent change refers to the difference seen from the first to last year in the specified date range.