Fly-tipping incidents in Wales rose by 14.7% between April 2024 and March 2025, according to official figures.
The figures, released by the Welsh Government and Fly-tipping Action Wales, show there were 48,367 cases of illegal waste dumping – around 133 incidents every day – logged by local authorities in the same period.
The statistics also show that 71% of the fly-tipping incidents recorded contained household waste.
18 local authorities reported an increase in the number of incidents, while only four local authorities reported a decrease.
The largest annual increase in reported fly-tipping was in Denbighshire , where incidents increased by 230%, which Natural Resources Wales says is largely due to improvements in data collection.
Enforcement actions also reached a six-year high, with over 1,500 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) issued during the year, alongside 69 successful prosecutions.
The highest number of prosecutions was recorded in Cardiff (20), followed by Rhondda Cynon Taff (18) and Carmarthenshire (9).
FPNs are issued for smaller-scale offences, such as littering, minor fly-tipping and failing to check a waste carrier’s licence, while prosecutions target large-scale, repeat or commercial fly-tipping, as well as the dumping of hazardous waste.
In Newport, enforcement actions increased dramatically from 146 actions to 2,386 (not including investigations) – the highest of any Welsh authority.
Commenting on the figures, Heidi Pawlin, Programme Manager for Fly-tipping Action Wales, said: “Fly-tipping damages our environment, costs taxpayers millions, and undermines communities.”
“Help keep your local community clean – if you’re paying someone to take your waste away, always check they have a waste carrier’s licence with Natural Resources Wales.”
