Fly tipping is the illegal dumping of waste and bulky items on the public highway or open land.
The penalty for fly-tipping ranges from a hefty fine up to £50,000 or up to five years in prison depending on what is dumped, how much is dumped and where.
We investigate all reports of fly-tipping where there is a reasonable chance of finding evidence that will lead to a prosecution.
When reporting fly tipping, please include the following information:
- Location
- Description of waste
- Description of offender (If available)
- Vehicle registration (If available)
How you can help stop fly-tipping
You can help stop fly-tipping by making sure your waste is disposed of properly. Follow the S.C.R.A.P code to keep yourself safe from prosecution and to help to protect our environment.
- S - Suspect all waste carriers. Do not let them take your waste until they have proven themselves to be legitimate. A professional waste carrier should happily answer reasonable questions.
- C - Check that a waste carrier has a licence, using the waste carrier public register(opens in a new window) on Environment Agency website.
- R - Refuse any unexpected offers to have your rubbish taken away. If you suspect that someone who you have spoken to will be disposing of waste illegally, report them to the Environment Agency.
- A - Ask what will happen to your rubbish and seek evidence that it is going to be disposed of appropriately.
- P - Paperwork must be obtained. Always get a proper invoice, waste transfer note or receipt, including a description of the waste being removed and the waste carrier’s contact details.