57% of farmers and landowners in England are affected by waste crime, according to new research

August 2025

57% of farmers and landowners in England are affected by waste crime, according to new research: Despite more than half (57%) of landowners/farmers in England being affected by waste crime in the last 12 months, just over one in ten (12%) reported their most recent incident to the authorities while nationally, just over a quarter (27%) of all waste crime incidents are reported, according to new research.

The National Waste Crime Survey 2025, published by the Environment Agency (EA), surveyed 764 respondents from three target groups: landowners/farmers, waste industry workers and service providers, between 3rd February 2025 – 25th February 2025. This latest survey aimed to provide an update on prior research conducted in 2021 and 2023 regarding the scope, nature, and impact of waste crime, the frequency of reporting incidents, and the confidence of those affected in the Environment Agency's abilities to lessen the prevalence of waste crime in England.

The research identified that the most prevalent waste crimes impacting landowners and farmers over the last 12 months were small-scale fly tipping (87%), followed by large-scale fly tipping (21%) and illegal burning of waste (17%). When asked about the impact this had on them directly, two-thirds (66%) reported that waste crime disrupted their business operations, 8 out of 10 (82%) cited the visual blight and eyesore caused, and a similar number (83%) were affected by the financial cost of clean-up. Importantly, nearly a third (31%) of respondents across all groups said waste crime had negatively impacted their mental health, an 18-point rise since 2023.

The research further underscores why farmers and landowners were less likely to report waste crime to the authorities, including the Environment Agency. While over two-thirds said they were ‘quite’ or ‘very’ confident in reporting small and large-scale fly tipping (70% and 67% respectively), nearly a quarter stated their reluctance to report the crime to the EA was due to them not acting on previous reports. Overall, only 11% of all respondents surveyed believe that the EA is effective in preventing waste crime.

Despite landowners/farmers reservations about the Environmental Agency’s effectiveness in addressing the problem, the EA remains determined to combat waste crime and urges all landowners/farmers to report all incidents to help map the incidence of these crimes and bring the perpetrators to justice.