Concerns have been raised by Jesmond residents over the impact of fly-tipping on cleanliness, safety, and enforcement, as the area approaches a busy student move-out period.

With a month of high-volume student departures approaching, a period informally referred to by some students as the “January transfer window,” residents fear a rise in fly-tipping across Jesmond.

Jessica Cou, a permanent resident of Jesmond, said she was left frustrated after an incident in early February 2025.

“People have been fly-tipping in our skip and garden, dumping things like tyres, football tables and paint,” she added: “There’s just no shame really.”

Government data shows the national average for England is currently at 20 incidents per 1,000 people. However, the data reveals that the North East records the highest average number of fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 people outside London, with 25.2 cases per 1,000 residents. The figure for Newcastle alone is even higher, with 51 incidents per 1,000 people – more than double the national average.

This places Newcastle second nationwide for fly-tipping, suggesting the issue is unusually high and concentrated, given its population size as the 12th most populated city in the UK.

A Newcastle City Council spokesperson said that the council continues to face challenges from a “small minority” of people in Jesmond who dispose of waste illegally, placing pressure on local services despite ongoing enforcement.

Newcastle has one of the highest and most concentrated student populations in the North East, with areas such as Jesmond heavily dominated by student housing.

The spokesperson added: “In Jesmond, when students move out, we work closely with both universities to prevent side waste and fly-tipping. We also encourage students to donate unwanted items to local charities so they can be reused rather than thrown away.”

The January peak in fly-tipping coincides with what some students refer to as the “January transfer window,” which is the period in just after the Christmas break, when students are more likely to leave shared accommodation and housing arrangements with peers following flatmate disputes or relationship breakdowns.

A recent study revealed that Gen Z, which makes up almost all of the current student population nationally, are among the UK’s biggest fly-tippers, with 81% of 18–24-year-olds admitting to leaving bin bags beside full street bins.

A Newcastle city council spokesperson added: “Reducing environmental crime remains one of our top priorities. We are taking firm action to ensure Newcastle remains a clean, green, and vibrant city, and we thank our communities for their continued support.”

Do you see more fly-tipping during student move-outs? Is your area affected? Let us know in the comments.