Tower Hamlets fly-tipping providers can now be hit with £1,000 fines to crack down on ‘environmental offences’

An east London council has increased the maximum fine for flier throwing by £600 in a bid to clean up the borough. Tower Hamlets Council is handing out higher Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) fines for anyone caught fly-tipping, littering or graffiti-spraying following cabinet approval in March 2023.

The council has increased the maximum fine for tipping from £400 to £1,000, although there is a £500 discount if it is paid early. In 2023/24, the borough saw 6,700 reports of fly-tipping, which the council estimates cost around £2 million to clean up, dispose of and investigate.

The council has also increased the maximum fines for littering, fly-tipping or graffiti spraying from £420 to £500, although people can get a £250 discount for paying in advance. The increase in FPNs came into effect last Monday (May 20). The council estimates it is currently spending more than £200,000 cleaning up graffiti.

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Meanwhile, households that fail to dispose of waste properly face a maximum fine of £600, which has been increased by £200, although there is a £300 early payment discount. Tower Hamlets’ Aspire Mayor Lutfur Rahman hopes that by increasing fines the council will be able to crack down on those who commit “environmental crimes”.

Mr Rahman said: “We know that crimes such as fly-tipping, littering and graffiti are blighting our neighborhood and diverting vital council resources and funding to tackle them. With tougher enforcement, we are sending the message that these anti-social crimes will not be tolerated in our neighbourhood.”

“The lowest household recycling rates in the country”

In 2022/23, Tower Hamlets had the lowest household recycling rates in the country. Research published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs found that Tower Hamlets had the lowest recycling rate of all 32 London boroughs and the whole of England, at just 17.7%.

The department explained in its research: “…in areas built with a higher proportion of flats, residents may find it difficult or unwilling to deposit waste for recycling and will not produce garden waste for collection.” Tower Hamlets has the fastest growing population in the country, with the local population growing by 22.1% from 254,000 in 2011 to 310,300 in 2021.

The east London borough is also the most densely populated area in England, with 15,695 people per square km, which was also highlighted in the council’s response to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS). A council spokesman said 9,000 new homes were built between 2019 and 2022, yet the borough struggled to keep up with the provision of sufficient recycling facilities and infrastructure.

The spokesman said: “Also, 88% of our housing stock is flats and cottages. This is 32% higher than the London average and 64% higher than in England, meaning more of our residents have to share their recycling bins compared to most elsewhere. responsible for their own bins The sheer number of people, development not keeping up with recycling demands, aging housing stock and shared facilities make recycling much more difficult.”

They went on to say: “Add to that the thousands of visitors and workers who come into our neighborhood every day and you can see it’s a challenge. These points are for context and not to make excuses.” The council is spending £2.1m improving recycling facilities in more than 2,000 flats and is working on pilot programs to improve recycling services for flats above shops, as well as working with schools. to encourage more of them to separate their food waste for recycling.