The research analysed fly-tipping incident data from councils across the UK, highlighting the areas most plagued by illegal dumping and those doing the best job of keeping things tidy.
Birmingham City Council has claimed the unfortunate top spot as the dirtiest council in the UK, logging a staggering 25,897 fly-tipping incidents. That’s nearly double the number recorded by the second-place council, Sheffield, which still reported a hefty 13,272 incidents.
Manchester City Council rounds out the top three with 8,604 cases, a significant number, though still far behind Birmingham’s figures.
Also making the top 10 are major cities like Glasgow (2,399), Coventry (1,944), and Cardiff (1,899), showing that fly-tipping is a widespread issue across the UK’s urban centres.
The 10 UK councils with the most fly-tipping incidents:
- Birmingham City Council – 25,897 incidents
- Sheffield City Council – 13,272 incidents
- Manchester City Council – 8,604 incidents
- Glasgow City Council – 2,399 incidents
- Coventry City Council – 1,944 incidents
- Cardiff Council – 1,899 incidents
- Liverpool City Council – 1,678 incidents
- Peterborough City Council – 1,465 incidents
- City of Wolverhampton Council – 1,402 incidents
- Edinburgh City Council – 1,290 incidents
On the other end of the spectrum, several councils are setting a shining example in cleanliness.
Brighton and Hove City Council take the crown as the cleanest council in the UK, reporting zero open fly-tipping reports. A remarkable achievement and a stark contrast to Birmingham’s five-figure total.
Close behind are Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, with just six incidents, and City of London Corporation, which recorded nine.
These numbers suggest that while some cities struggle with waste management and enforcement, others have found effective strategies to keep their communities clean.
The 10 UK councils with the fewest fly-tipping incidents:
- Brighton and Hove City Council – 0 incidents
- Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council – 6 incidents
- City of London Corporation – 9 incidents
- Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council – 10 incidents
- Bath and North East Somerset Council – 16 incidents
- Worcester City Council – 23 incidents
- Newry, Mourne and Down District Council – 31 incidents
- Stirling Council – 37 incidents
- Derry City and Strabane District Council – 47 incidents
- York City Council – 51 incidents
A spokesperson from OddsMonkey, who conducted the study, said:
"Fly-tipping is not only an eyesore, but it also places a significant financial and environmental strain on local councils and communities. While some councils are clearly facing major challenges, others are setting impressive standards for cleanliness and civic pride."
Whether you’re dealing with overflowing alleyways or spotless streets, this ranking offers a revealing snapshot of how different councils are managing one of the country’s most persistent problems.