Fly tipping is the illegal dumping of waste onto land which is not licensed to receive it. Types of waste commonly fly tipped include large bulky items such as refrigerators, mattresses and tyres. Typical locations where these are dumped include roadsides, lay-bys, parks and ditches.
The effects of fly tipping
The most immediate effect of fly tipping is its unsightly appearance. Depending on the type of waste dumped, fly tipping can also lead to pollution of watercourses and land as well as being harmful to wildlife and the public, especially if the waste contains hazardous materials such as asbestos, drums of chemicals, syringes or discarded drugs.
Fly tipping and the law
Fly-tipping of waste is illegal and constitutes a serious offence. Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, ss.33, 34 and 59 it is illegal for any person to deposit controlled waste, knowingly cause or knowingly permit it to be deposited in or on any land unless a waste management licence is in force and the deposit is in accordance with the licence. Controlled waste is any household, commercial or industrial waste.
Section 33 also makes it an offence if a person has treated, kept or disposed of controlled waste in or on land that does not have a waste management licence, or that is not in accordance with a licence.
Section 59 provides powers for waste regulation authorities such as the Environment Agency and local authorities to issue a notice requiring the removal of waste unlawfully and knowingly deposited.
The Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 sets out the need for waste carriers to register with the Environment Agency and gives the Agency and authorised officers of a waste collection authority powers to stop and search vehicles used for illegal waste-related activities.
Punishment for fly tipping
Fly-tipping of waste is illegal and is a serious offence; you can be fined up to £20,000 and/up to six months in prison. If the case goes to the Crown Court you could face an unlimited fine and up to two years in prison (five years if the waste is hazardous).
If you are convicted, the court can also make an order requiring you to pay for the costs associated with the clear up, enforcement and investigation, including the seizure of any vehicles that were involved in the offence.
Our approach to fly tipping
We have a zero tolerance approach to fly tipping and will investigate complaints and incidents of fly tipping. We will remove fly tips from Council owned land and search waste for evidence. To help us identify those responsible we use a variety of methods for gathering evidence, including CCTV and automatic number plate recognition. We also work in partnership with the Environment Agency, Police, and Housing Associations.
We also carry out proactive initiatives aimed at preventing fly tipping from occurring; for example, the stopping and searching of vehicles carrying waste.
Help us
Act as our eyes and ears and report fly tipping to us. Complete the on line form (see Do it now below) or telephone the Fly Tipping Hotline: 01454 868000
When reporting incidents, please try to include as much information as possible. For instance:
- Vehicle details; make, model, colour, signage, registration
- Location of fly tipping incident and date/time of incident if witnessed
- Description of the people seen tipping
- Description of the material tipped
- Photographic evidence if safe to obtain.
Do not approach the fly tipper, and never touch the waste as it may be hazardous.
You can also help prevent flytipping by making sure you know where your own waste is going; if you are employing tradesmen or a skip company to remove waste from your property, make sure they are registered waste carriers. You can do this by calling the Environment Agency on 08708 506506