Fly-tipping in Dundee rose by 50% in four years

Between 2019 and 2022, the number of fly tipping cases reported to Dundee City Council rose by more than 380.

By Laura Devlin

August 27 2023, 6:00am

Fly tipping at at Riverside during the bin worker strikes last year. Image: Paul Reid.

Cases of fly-tipping in Dundee increased by 50% in just four years, figures reveal.

Figures obtained from Dundee City Council show that in the period between 2019 and 2022, the number of recorded instances of fly-tipping in the city increased by more than 380.

The numbers, obtained through a freedom of information request, show that in 2019 there were 763 reports of fly tipping submitted to the local authority.

The following year, when the Covid pandemic forced household waste recycling centres in the city to close, this number rose to 798.

In 2021, a total of 1,200 incidents of fly-tipping were reported to Dundee City Council.

And in 2022, there were 1,146 cases flagged. This is 50% more than the total recorded in 2019.

The FOI figures also revealed that as of July, 721 instances of fly-tipping have been recorded in Dundee this year.

Fly tipped rubbish on Douglas Street in Dundee. Image: DC Thomson.

The Courier has reported extensively on the issue of fly-tipping in Dundee, including in Camperdown Park where a leather suite and accompanying footstool was dumped last October.

Rubble had been dumped in Whitfield the month before and the popular Miley walking route was also targeted.

The persistent problem led Labour councillor Kevin Keenan to call for the council to make it easier for people to dispose of their household rubbish.

Reacting to the latest figures, he said: “I’ve seen an increase in fly-tipping but I was unaware that it had reached these kind of levels. It’s really alarming.

Councillor Kevin Keenan. Image: DC Thomson.

“We need to look at things differently and we need to find a mechanism of catching those who fly-tip.

“Fly-tipping leaves a potential blight on beauty spots throughout the city, its a blight on the landscape”

A Dundee City Council spokesperson said: “So called fly-tipping is an anti-social behaviour that blights communities and areas where it happens.

“Our Take Pride in Your City campaign exists to encourage everyone to do their bit to keep the city safe and presentable for all.

“Anyone who does fly-tip is acting illegally and the council has robust procedures to try to deter this selfish and dishonest activity including issuing a fixed penalty notice or reporting culprits to the Procurator Fiscal who has the power to fine up to £40,000.

“You can report fly-tipping on the council’s website.”