Ipswich council bosses will soon decide whether to almost double the fines for littering and fly-tipping. 

Next week, Ipswich Borough Council’s executive committee will review the penalties for environmental offences, including littering, fly-tipping and the wrong disposal of household waste. 

Fines for littering may increase from £80 to £150. 

Penalties for fly-tipping can rise from £300 to even £500, while the wrong disposal of household waste may cost residents up to £180. 

Discounted penalties could be £80 for littering and £250 for fly-tipping. 

READ MORE: Litter creating 'visible eyesore' near Ipswich Waterfront

The council hopes that the increase in fine costs will act as a deterrent and help reduce the number of these kinds of offences. 

Some disadvantages of the project have also been identified. 

This includes offenders possibly not being able to afford the level of fine or choose to risk a lower penalty if they go to court. 

This would cause a waste of enforcement and legal services and increase the number of prosecutions, the council noted.

READ MORE: 10-year-old Zach picked litter in Orwell Country Park

In the last 12 months, from June 2022 to June 2023, the council issued 14 fines for littering. 

Four of the cases are still open, six were paid and four were referred for prosecution. 

There were also 29 fines served for fly-tipping, with five of them still open.

Nineteen of the penalties were paid, and five were referred for prosecution. 

READ MORE: 980 wipes and 10,000 cigarette butts among Jason's 24-hour litter pick haul

The Environmental Protection Act 1990 creates an offence of depositing controlled waste or knowingly causing or permitting controlled waste to be deposited in or on any land, such as fly-tipping or littering. 

The Environmental Offences Regulations 2023 amends this framework, enabling local authorities to increase the level of fines if they choose to do so. 

READ MORE: 15 fridges found in forest in east Suffolk

New governmental fine limits for environmental offences increased from £150 to £500 for littering and from £400 to £1,000 for fly-tipping.