Croydon’s growing fly-tipping crisis raises public health and governance concerns

Croydon is facing what residents and local reports describe as an epidemic of fly-tipping, with tens of thousands of illegal waste deposits across public land and streets that campaigners and council contractors say pose public health risks and strain local services.

Data obtained by the Daily Mail and described in its reporting show 55,192 incidents of fly-tipping were reported to Croydon Council in the first eight months of the year, and Veolia UK, the borough’s waste contractor, told the paper it clears an average of 234 fly-tips each day. The borough has also reported high numbers of sexual offences and stalking incidents in recent police statistics, which residents said contribute to a broader sense of disorder and insecurity.

Residents who spoke with the Daily Mail described piles of household and commercial waste on playing fields, in alleyways and near transport hubs, and said the scale of illegal dumping has grown visibly in recent years. One long-term resident said he used a municipal reporting app to log thousands of incidents, and others told investigators of smells, vermin and damaged property. Environmental enforcement firms that respond to large illegal disposals said they sometimes encounter hazardous materials, including asbestos, and large amounts of raw food that can attract rodents.

Local leaders and campaigners pointed to a combination of factors they say have worsened the problem: cuts to frontline enforcement staff, persistent council debt that limits capacity, and the use of unlicensed private waste collectors by some residents. Croydon Council declared itself effectively bankrupt multiple times since 2020, and the council’s latest projections show heavy debt servicing costs that officials say reduce funds available for services.

Croydon Council told the Daily Mail it was "working hard to get finances back on track and deal with the legacy of past financial mismanagement" and that "swift enforcement action" against fly-tipping is a priority for the mayor, Jason Perry. Veolia, which secured an eight-year contract renewed on April 1 after a failed tender round, said it works to provide a reliable service and clear hundreds of fly-tips daily.

Environmental enforcement specialists who spoke to the newspaper warned that social media and informal advertising have helped so-called cowboy operators attract customers, take payments to remove waste and then illegally dump it in the countryside or on public land. Under 2018 environmental protection legislation, individuals who pay for waste removal remain liable for where the waste ends up, regardless of which contractor carries it away, enforcement officers said.

Local reports also blamed a reduction in neighbourhood safety officers, a frontline post for prevention, and low prosecution numbers. Figures cited in the reporting noted just 11 prosecutions for littering in a recent 12-month period, and residents said that limits on enforcement make statutory penalties—fines or possible prison terms—ineffective as a deterrent.

Residents and traders described how the disorder has affected daily life. Several said they have seen open drug dealing near transport hubs and that some people avoid town centres because they are concerned about personal safety. Older residents reported thefts and assaults near post offices and on public streets. Shopkeepers said visible drug activity and crowding around high streets have reduced passing trade.

Beyond local nuisance and crime impacts, environmental and public-health specialists warn fly-tipping can present broader risks. Illicitly dumped waste can introduce contaminants into soil and waterways, attract vermin, and expose the public and clearance workers to hazardous materials. Enforcement and proper disposal are costly, and councils often shoulder the expense of clearing illegally deposited waste.

The scale of Croydon’s reported incidents comes alongside other pressures on local services, including asylum accommodation and a high volume of reported sexual offences and stalking and harassment incidents in police statistics for the borough, which some residents linked to the overall strain on public services. The Met Police figures cited in reporting show Croydon recorded more than 1,200 cases of sexual assault in the year to March and over 2,500 incidents classified as stalking and harassment, though the borough is also London’s most populous.

Local campaigners and residents called for stepped-up enforcement, clearer regulation of private waste collectors and renewed investment in prevention and street-cleaning. Croydon Council said it will prioritise enforcement and work to address the legacy of past financial problems, and contractors said they continue to remove large volumes of waste. How councils balance mounting clean-up costs, debt servicing and community safety needs will be a central issue as Croydon prepares for its next mayoral election and continues to manage the operational and environmental consequences of widespread illegal dumping.