Falling fly-tipping figures mask the true scale of a crime which is a "constant blight" on the East Anglian landscape, said rural business leaders.
Latest government statistics show there were more than a million incidents of fly-tipping on public land across England in 2021/22 - down 4pc on the previous year - with 75,000 in the East of England.
The figures focus on waste illegally dumped on highways and footpaths, dealt with by local councils.
But Cath Crowther, East regional director of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA East) said they do not account for the thousands of incidents on private land which landowners must clear at personal cost, or risk prosecution.
“Despite a slight fall in the fly-tipping figures they continue to make for bleak reading and barely scratch the surface of a crime that’s blighting rural communities and damaging the rural economy," she said.
"There is a glimmer of hope as there has been an increase in fixed penalty notices and court fines, but there is still a long, long way to go.
"Two-thirds of all farmers and landowners have at some stage been a victim and bear the cost of removing rubbish themselves, or risk prosecution themselves.
“It’s not just the odd piece of litter blotting the landscape, but tonnes of household and commercial waste which can often be hazardous – even including asbestos and chemicals - risking the safety of people and animals. This often requires costly expert treatment to remove.
“Landowners pay on average £1,000 to remove the waste on their land, but in some cases have paid up to £100,000 to clear up other people’s mess.
“The UK government’s promises to clamp down on fly-tipping are yet to yield serious results. It seems that criminals simply do not fear prosecution. Without more progress, landowners, not the criminals, will continue to pay the price.”
The national figure of 1.09 million incidients has fallen close to pre-pandemic totals of 980,000. The report says there was a spike during lockdown due to factors including the temporary closure of household waste recycling centres.
Across the country, enforcement actions rose by 11pc to 507,000, while fixed penalty notices jumped by 58pc to 91,000 and court-issued fines trebled from 621 in 2020/2021 to 1,798 last year.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here