Northern Ireland’s environment agency secured just 29 successful prosecutions for illegal dumping over the past five years, new figures have revealed.
The statistics show the NIEA achieved just seven successful prosecutions for fly tipping in 2025 and six in each of 2022, 2023 and 2024. There were just four such prosecutions in 2021.
The issue of illegal dumping is rampant across Northern Ireland.
It is estimated that around 300,000 tonnes of waste are dumped each year illegally in Northern Ireland, with waste crime costs estimated at about £34 million annually, according to the Northern Ireland Audit Office’s 2025 report.
Last year, one of Europe’s largest illegal dumpsites was discovered at Mobuoy, Co Derry.
The total in the latest figures does not include three further successful prosecutions over the same period relating to the illegal treatment and storage of waste.
SDLP Assembly member and AERA committee spokesperson Daniel McCrossan said the low prosecution rate showed those responsible for illegal dumping had little fear of consequences.
“We have all seen the huge damage illegal dumping has caused to our environment, whether on an industrial scale at Mobuoy or through the everyday dumping that blights rural communities, beauty spots and green spaces,” he said.
“One of the reasons illegal dumping continues so persistently is because there is far too little fear of consequences for those involved. In the vast majority of cases, those responsible believe they will avoid detection or prosecution, and these figures from the Department underline just how few successful prosecutions there have been in recent years.
“Illegal dumping causes enormous environmental harm, damages biodiversity and threatens wildlife. In extreme cases it can also contribute to incidents like the wildfires we have seen recently.
“If we are serious about tackling this scourge, then there must be meaningful deterrents and proper enforcement. I would urge the DAERA Minister to work with his Executive colleagues, including the Justice Minister, to bring forward robust measures to address this issue.”
A DAERA spokesperson said the agency took its responsibilities around waste crime “incredibly seriously” and that all incidents of illegal dumping and fly-tipping were investigated.
“Pursuing criminal prosecution is often a complex matter,” the spokesperson said. “It is of paramount importance that the public reports illegal waste activity to NIEA and their local council to assist in holding perpetrators of environmental crime to account,” they added.
“NIEA’s Environmental Crime Unit investigates suspected waste offences under the Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997, and that district councils are also an enforcing authority under the same legislation with equivalent powers, holding separate data on their own successful prosecutions.”