A Hertfordshire farmer has been left “devastated” after more than 200 tonnes of waste were illegally dumped on his land, leaving him with a £40,000 clean-up bill.
More than 40 lorry loads of rubbish were left on the arable farm near St Albans over the course of three nights, beginning 7 June.
The incident, believed to be the work of organised criminals, has caused both financial hardship and environmental damage.
“This is not covered by insurance and there is just no way that I am going to be able to pay this – I don’t know what I am going to do,” the farmer, who wishes to remain anonymous, said.
“There is a week’s work here to clear it all. I have fly-tipping here every week, but I’ve never had it on this scale.
“Farming is hard enough at the moment, and I know many other farmers in Hertfordshire who have had industrial-scale fly-tips on their land.
“The situation is getting worse and it disrupts our ability to produce food and care for the countryside.”
The dumped materials include hazardous items such as asbestos, cannabis waste, timber and office furniture.
The rubbish has destroyed a section of land that had been dedicated to supporting farmland birds and biodiversity as part of the government’s Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme.
The farmer, like many others, is legally responsible for removing the waste – a burden that costs UK farmers and landowners tens of millions of pounds annually.
Responding to the incident, the NFU is calling for urgent action from the government to address the growing crisis.
Josh Redford, NFU County Adviser for Hertfordshire, said: “This is another shocking incident of fly-tipping, which is becoming all too common in Hertfordshire.
“The NFU is taking a very proactive approach to address this and is working closely with local authorities and stakeholders.”
“We are calling for an urgent meeting with all district council leaders in Hertfordshire as the next step.
“We are determined to fight for our members and ensure the people responsible are brought to justice, at the same time deterring others from carrying out this serious and damaging crime.”
The NFU has contacted St Albans MP and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats Daisy Cooper to raise the issue and is also working alongside Hertfordshire Police, the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), and the Environment Agency.
It is applying for financial support for the farmer through the PCC’s Fly-Tipping Fund, which assists victims of such crimes.
Neighbouring farmer Will Dickinson, who has suffered multiple fly-tipping incidents himself, voiced frustration with the situation.
He said: “Fly-tipping in Hertfordshire is completely out of control. The local authorities are doing their best, but they need to be better resourced.
“We need to see more arrests and convictions and the full extent of the law used to properly punish the people who do this. When they are caught the fly-tippers are often given a fine which is less than the cost of a skip.”
“The farmers, who are the victims of the crime, are left to pay thousands of pounds clearing the waste, which is completely unfair and a travesty of justice.
“This has far-reaching consequences and is a blight on our countryside.”
Jonathan Ash-Edwards, Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner, also condemned the incident, calling it a “disgrace”.
“Fly-tips of this magnitude are often linked to organised crime gangs, who profit significantly from these illegal activities.
“I fully support the maximum possible sentences being imposed on offenders when they are brought before the courts.”
The latest report by NFU Mutual shows that the cost of rural crime in Hertfordshire rose by 15.5% in 2024 to £1.23m.
However, the cost of rural crime across the UK fell by 16.5% last year to an estimated £44.1m.
