Fly-tipping is on the increase in the Bradford district.

And the reasons behind the rise are the increasing cost of disposing of waste and the recession, according to a Bradford Council report.

A review into fly-tipping in the district has revealed that 3,563 incidents were reported to the Council last year, an increase of nine per cent.

But despite the rise in cases, there was a slight fall in the number of prosecutions and a cut in the number of warning letters sent out.

Investigations leapt from 459 to 549 in 2008/09, while fixed penalty notices increased from 22 to 37.

So far in 2009, 15 people have been prosecuted for fly-tipping, including a businessman who used Bonfire Night as an opportunity to burn trade waste including plastics and paint containers. Magistrates fined him a total of £4,695.

In a report to Bradford Council’s environment and waste management improvement committee, strategic director for environment and neighbourhoods Ian Bairstow said: “The escalating cost of waste disposal and the current economic climate are causing more people to consider fly-tipping as a cheap option, particularly since the chances of being caught are small.

“It is estimated that in disposing of rubbish illegally by fly-tipping, the perpetrator saves at least £62 per tonne. There is evidence some fly-tipping is organised by professional criminals.”

The report says the Council clears about 13,000 tons of litter and fly-tipped rubbish a year and this costs about £780,000 in disposal costs alone.

As well as the Council, the Environment Agency is responsible for enforcing fly-tipping legislation and regulates permits for disposing of waste such as scrap yards and landfill.

The agency is aware of ten sites in Bradford that are operating illegally and investigations are ongoing.

In addition, where there is a suspicion that illegal operations or fly-tipping are associated with organised crime, cases are referred to a specialist team.

The committee will discuss the issue tomorrow at 5.30pm at City Hall.