BBC NEWS
'Two hours after clearing fly-tip, rubbish is dumped again'
We recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by BBC News as part of their coverage on the growing fly-tipping problem across Croydon.
It was an important opportunity to share what we are seeing on the ground and to bring local voices into a wider conversation that affects our entire community.
A problem that keeps coming back
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The BBC article highlights the scale and persistence of fly-tipping across the borough, painting a picture that will feel very familiar to many residents.
In one striking example, a large fly-tip — including mattresses, furniture, and household waste — was cleared, only for more rubbish to be dumped in the exact same location just two hours later.
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The scale of the issue
1,000+ fly-tips reported every week
£1 million+ annual cost to the council
Figures shared in the report show that Croydon is now dealing with over 1,000 reported fly-tips every week, at a cost of more than £1 million per year.
As part of the coverage, our own Tony Hooker spoke about some of the underlying causes driving this increase.
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In particular, he highlighted the growing costs residents face for disposing of waste — including charges for bulky waste collection, garden waste services, and even bins themselves.
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Tony Hooker - LFN Trustee
Why
is this happening?
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Rising costs for waste disposal
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Charges for bulky waste collection
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Garden waste and bin fees
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Limited access to affordable disposal options
These rising costs can have unintended consequences. When people feel they are already contributing through council tax, additional charges may discourage proper disposal.
Challenges with enforcement
The article also touches on the challenges around enforcement.
Although Croydon Council has introduced a “zero tolerance” approach and issued a number of fines, there is a strong sense locally that more visible and consistent enforcement is still needed.
Without it, there is a risk that fly-tipping becomes normalised — something people expect will simply be cleared away.
No single solution
What the BBC’s reporting makes clear is that there is no single cause — and no single solution.
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Tackling fly-tipping requires a joined-up approach, combining enforcement, accessibility, education, and community action.
Our perspective
For us at Litter Free Norbury, this is something we see every week.
Whether it’s reporting fly-tips, supporting clean-up efforts, or raising awareness locally, the community plays a vital role in addressing the problem.
It was encouraging to see this issue receive national attention, and to be able to contribute to that conversation.