Do fly-tipping fines change behaviour? I would say yes and no. Fines for fly-tipping do work, some of the time, but the bigger picture isn’t always that simple.
Over the years, as an example, I have run many “Caught on Camera” campaigns. They are popular and go down really well. The Barking and Dagenham, Wall of Shame example is legendary, and I’m a huge admirer.
You’ve got footage. You’ve got a fly-tipping offender. You run a witness appeal – do you know this fly-tipping offender? You put up a poster, you publish it on social media, and you run some YouTube videos. (Note: this is not legal advice. Every council I have worked with interprets the law differently here.)
It generally goes down really well across residents and among councillors. And I have used it to measurable effect to tackle fly-tipping many, many times.
But does it work?
I’m increasingly of the view that sometimes yes, but in many ways, it can be more damaging than helpful over the long term.
So let’s get into it, the case for and against in more depth.
The case for fines and “Caught on Camera”
“Caught on Camera” does work in specific conditions. When you have a genuinely bad actor, a fancy way of saying someone who knowingly dumps waste illegally, for commercial gain and/or with no care for the community. In this case public identification is proportionate and often effective. It signals to others that the area is watched, that the council is serious, and that there are real consequences.
In those circumstances, the deterrence effect is legitimate. Social norms come into play. People look to others to understand what’s acceptable. If the message is “we catch people and we act,” that changes the way that certain fly-tippers behave.
The case against and the role that trust plays
But what I think is missing is an understanding of the underlying and bigger picture. Trust plays a big role. And one of the unintended consequences is that enforcement can break that trust. Not always, but on occasion.
On most housing estates, fly-tipping isn’t driven primarily by people who don’t care. It’s driven by people who do care, but face real barriers, which may lead them to not care. I have run enough focus groups to understand this.
The residents can’t afford a bulky waste collection. The communal bin area is already full. They don’t always know what counts as fly-tipping (e.g. items left next to a communal bin). They’re doing their best with a system that isn’t set up for them. If their estate is clean and tidy, many people would think twice.
Yes, some people do the wrong thing and with that very specific group fines may be the only thing that works. But if, over a period of time, the systems and the way you deal with residents have eroded that trust, people will lose the motivation to do the right thing.
Building that trust back up can take time. It doesn’t happen overnight. Fines and interventions like “Caught on Camera” may work, especially in the short term, and in certain circumstances. But ask yourself, what are the real problems and issues, and are you making things worse with a short term fix.