An elderly farmer has been slapped with a £40,000 fine after fly-tippers piled 200 tons of waste on his land.
The Hertfordshire farmer, in his 80s, said the rubbish was dumped on his field near St Albans last summer.
The farmer, who asked to remain anonymous, is now being held responsible for the clean-up after attempts to locate the culprit failed.
He could also be criminally prosecuted if he cannot get rid of the rubbish.
The tipped material is suspected to contain asbestos and specialist contractors have quoted him £40,000 for removal, which the farmer said he cannot afford.
Speaking through the National Farmers Union (NFU), the farmer said he would be unable to pay for clean-up, describing the fly-tipping incident as “devastating”.
Will Dickinson, a neighbour and fellow farmer, said the waste included roofing material and bathroom and kitchen fittings.
Local authorities are responsible for waste on public land, but it is the responsibility of landowners to pay for lawful removal of rubbish on private land.
Will Dickinson (pictured), a neighbour and fellow farmer, said the waste included roofing material and bathroom and kitchen fittings
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NFU
If the material is not removed by the landowner, the local authority and Environment Agency can step in to require clearance.
Mr Dickinson, an active member of the NFU, said the incident happened after a two-ton concrete block covering the gateway was pushed out of the way.
The farmer believed the concrete block was enough to secure the land, but soon found the rubbish which included house-clearing waste and even evidence of drugs and clinical waste.
Mr Dickinson said clinical waste could contaminate fields, so “you don’t dare harvest any of that crop”.
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NFU
Mr Dickinson said fly-tipping would only make things worse for farmers amid soaring running costs and sinking crop prices.
“There’s no cross-authority knowledge,” he added. “If it’s hazardous, you go to the Environment Agency. If it’s not, then it’s your council. If it’s in a dangerous place, you tell the police, but if it’s a few bin bags, then it won’t get reported.
“Despite this being 200 tons, the Environment Agency decided it wasn’t big or dangerous enough for them to get involved.”
The Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Jonathan Ash-Edwards, said the incident could have been linked to organised crime.
He added that he supports the maximum possible sentence being imposed on offenders if they are caught.
The NFU has called for authorities to work closely together to secure more proportionate arrests and convictions.
It also wants a simple reporting mechanism to be developed and urged the Government to educate householders on their responsibilities for waste.
The union said it “believes the whole system needs to tackle fly-tipping at the source”, and called for packaging design, recycling, landfill tax, and tip opening hours to be reconsidered.