Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of waste and is a serious criminal offence.
Common fly-tipped items include:
- white goods
- mattresses
- construction waste
- household waste
- garden waste
If you see waste fly-tipped, report it to us and we will investigate. Provide us with as much detail as possible including:
- when you saw the waste fly-tipped
- where you saw it, using What3Words, landmarks and road numbers
- what has been tipped, how much, what it looks like and a photo if possible
- vehicle registration, if known, or vehicle details which tipped it
- details of any persons present
Never tamper with or remove any evidence or waste from the site.
We investigate every case and if we recover evidence, we may prosecute those responsible.
We have the power to seize vehicles, issue a fixed penalty notice of £1,000 or to prosecute. This could result in an unlimited fine and or up to five years in prison. Offenders will also have to pay any costs of the investigation, clean up, vehicle recovery costs and legal fees. Read our regulatory services penalty notice policy here to find out more about how we enforce penalties for offences.
We clean up fly-tipping on land we own and on public highways or roads. If the land is privately owned the landowner is responsible for clearing the fly-tipped waste.
Don't become an accidental criminal - check your waste carrier is licensed
It is your duty of care to dispose of your waste correctly. You could be fined an unlimited amount if your waste ends up fly-tipped, and you cannot show that you took reasonable steps to prevent it.
You must use a licensed waste carrier, or take your waste to a registered site.
How to check if your waste carrier is licensed:
- Check their waste carrier licence number on the Environment Agency register of waste carriers.
- Ask to see their waste carrier licence - it will look like this
- Ask what will happen to your waste - a licensed waste carrier should not object to reasonable questions.
- Make sure you get a waste transfer note and receipt for your waste and keep it as proof.
Report fly-tipping online
You can report fly-tipping to us online. Where you live affects how you report fly-tipping. Use our lookup tool to find the right page for your area.