Herts Farmer faces £40,000 clean-up Bill following industrial fly-tipping offence

A Hertfordshire farmer may be forced to pay up to £40,000 to remove more than 200 tonnes of waste dumped illegally on agricultural land near St Albans.

The fly-tipping, believed to have occurred over three nights from Friday, 7 June, saw over 40 lorry-loads of rubbish left on land set aside for nature as part of the government’s Sustainable Farming Incentive.

Among the waste were office furniture, large household items such as mattresses, garden refuse and even clinical waste, comprising a dismantled coffin.

The landowner, who has chosen to remain anonymous, is facing the financial and environmental consequences of the crime.

"It is just devastating. This is not covered by insurance and there is just no way that I am going to be able to pay this – I don’t know what I am going to do," he said. "I have fly-tipping here every week, but I’ve never had it on this scale."

Neighbouring arable farmer Will Dickinson, who farms on the outskirts of St Albans, is supporting the victim and has himself been regularly targeted by fly-tippers.

Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio, he said: "We’ve done a very quick evaluation of the amount of waste that’s in this field, and it would appear that it’s separate loads – we think there are about 40 to 42."

Much of the waste is thought to be hazardous and to contain asbestos and chemicals from the clinical load, which could pose risks to human health and of land contamination.

Mr Dickinson explained how criminals moved a heavy concrete block placed at the entrance of the fiend to deter entry, which wasn't enough. "The lorries that are equipped with cranes for self-loading have the capacity to move these blocks. We’re going to have to think again about how we create these blocks so they can’t pick them up and move them."

Both farmers are working with local authorities, Hertfordshire Police, the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), and the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) to address the incident. The NFU has applied for financial support from the PCC’s Fly-Tipping Fund.

Mr Dickinson said: "This has far-reaching consequences and is a blight on our countryside.

"Fly-tipping in Hertfordshire is completely out of control. The farmers, who are the victims of the crime, are left to pay thousands of pounds clearing the waste, which is completely unfair and a travesty of justice."

Under current legislation, the landowner bears legal responsibility for removing waste dumped on private land.

The NFU is calling for an urgent meeting with the leaders of all district councils in Hertfordshire to discuss the increasing scale and frequency of fly-tipping incidents.

NFU County Adviser for Hertfordshire Josh Redford said: "This is another shocking incident of fly-tipping, which is becoming all too common. We are determined to fight for our members and ensure the people responsible are brought to justice."

Police and Crime Commissioner Jonathan Ash-Edwards echoed the concern and said: "Fly-tipping on this scale is a disgrace.

"I fully support the maximum possible sentences being imposed on offenders when they are brought before the courts."

The incident has also been raised with St Albans MP and Deputy Liberal Democrat Leader Daisy Cooper.

The NFU is continuing to push for long-term reforms to tackle fly-tipping, including tougher penalties, improved waste management systems, and better collaboration between local authorities, police, and environmental agencies.

A Defra spokesperson said:

"Waste criminals and fly-tippers who blight our villages and undermine our hard working farmers have gone unpunished for too long.

“This Government is cracking down on cowboy waste operators, including seizing and crushing fly-tippers vans to clean up Britain’s rural areas and support our crucial farming sector.”