Client Profile
Type: Local Authority
Region: Rural Midlands, UK
Challenge: Persistent fly-tipping across lay-bys, access roads, and countryside lanes
Impact: Rising cleanup costs, resident complaints, and lack of real-time evidence to support enforcement
The Challenge
Fly-tipping had become a chronic issue for the council. Rural and unsupervised locations were regularly targeted by illegal waste dumpers, often late at night or early morning. Traditional CCTV had been trialled, but challenges persisted:
No live monitoring or automated detection
Manual footage review was labour-intensive
No reliable alerting mechanism
Enforcement efforts lacked time-stamped visual evidence
Infrastructure limitations in remote locations (no power or broadband)
The Solution: Fortix + 4G Acorn Cameras
To overcome budget and infrastructure constraints, the council deployed Fortix AI CCTV in combination with battery-powered 4G Acorn cameras at fly-tipping hotspots.
How It Worked
Remote Camera Coverage
4G Acorn cameras were installed in remote rural areas without power or internet, enabling surveillance where traditional systems failed.
AI Integration via Fortix
Footage from Acorn cameras streamed directly to Fortix’s cloud-based platform for real-time analysis.
Smart Detection
Fortix’s AI interpreted the video to detect common fly-tipping behaviours, such as:
Unauthorised vehicles stopping
People unloading bulky waste
Suspicious movement in off-hours
Instant Alerts
When high-confidence incidents were detected, Fortix triggered real-time SMS, email and app alerts for enforcement officers.
Evidence Capture
Fortix automatically recorded and labelled key clips, providing downloadable evidence and incident reports for enforcement.
Results After 8 Weeks
| Metric | Before Fortix | After Fortix + Acorn Cameras |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fly-tipping reports | 27 incidents | 9 incidents |
| Cleanup cost per month | £5,400 | £1,750 |
| Enforcement cases supported | 1 | 5 |
| Real-time alerts | 0 | 14 actionable alerts |
Why It Worked
No broadband or mains power needed — thanks to solar-powered or battery-operated 4G Acorn cameras
True AI detection — Fortix sees beyond motion to identify risky behaviour
Real-time alerts and evidence — supports fast response and legal action
Scalable and cost-effective — ideal for rural, semi-rural and hard-to-monitor areas
Next Steps
Following the success of the pilot, the council is expanding the Fortix-Acorn setup to four new dumping hotspots, with plans for borough-wide adoption over the next 12 months.