NEWSROOM

In the past 12 months fly-tipping has cost taxpayers in Telford and Wrekin just over £200,000 with the most common fly-tip being a car boot load or less or just single items like mattresses large electrical items. Costs that are avoidable.

The research also revealed that, 1 in 5 people still don’t believe fly-tipping negatively impacts the environment, Gen Z emerging as the least informed.

Councillor Richard Overton, (Lab) Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Highways, Housing & Enforcement said: “It doesn’t matter what age you are, tipping a mattress, electrical items or a bin bag full of rubbish in the street causes a nuisance and makes our estates look ugly and run down. Plus, there are so many responsible ways to dispose of waste in Telford and Wrekin, there is no reason to.  

“Fly-tipping is not only a crime, but also anti-social and effects the lives of those law-abiding borough residents who do their best to keep the borough clean, making use of our waste collection services and recycling. We will not hesitate to make bring fly-tippers to justice and issue the justified £1,000 fines if caught.”

The findings showed that Gen Z need to clean up their knowledge the most as just over half (54%) of this cohort knowing that fly-tipping was a crime compared to 82% of Gen Xers and 92% of Boomers.

In Telford and Wrekin, the recycling rate is at 48.2 percent - higher than the England average and residents are equipped with plenty of ways to recycle and dispose of waste responsibly. From household recycling centres to kerbside collections, there’s no reason to resort to dumping old mattresses, white goods, or unwanted items in alleyways, parks, or rural spots.

The council offers a variety of recycling services and facilities, including two Household Recycling Centres (HRCs) that are open 362 days a year to free kerbside collections. Garden waste can also be taken to the HRCs and there is a year-round, fortnightly, free green bin collection.

There is also kerbside recycling for glass, paper, plastics and special collections for bulky items visit the website to book https://www.telford.gov.uk/bulkywaste

If you’re unsure where to start, check out the council’s website for guides on sorting your waste or finding your nearest recycling point.

Councillor Overton added: “Fly-tipping isn’t just bad manners - it’s a crime. Let’s take pride in our borough by reporting incidents to the council or Crimestoppers and encouraging others to recycle responsibly. Together, we can make Telford & Wrekin a cleaner, greener place to live.”

Residents are encouraged to play their part and help the council keep the borough clean and green by reporting fly-tipping on the MyTelford app.

To help put a stop to fly-tipping, anyone with information that could identify a perpetrator is urged to call the council’s confidential number on 01952 388800.

Notes to editors

* New research commissioned by Network Rail. The research was undertaken by One Poll for Network Rail during February 2025 with a nationally representative sample of 2,000 British adults.  

• Generation Z refers to adults born after 1996
• Millennials refers to adults born 1981-1996
• Generation X refers to adults born 1965-1980
• Boomers refers to adults born 1946-1964