Fly-tipping: why it matters and how to avoid being caught out
Councils in England deal with around a million fly-tipping incidents a year. Here is how to make sure your rubbish is never one of them.
Fly-tipping is dumping waste anywhere that is not licensed to take it: lay-bys, alleys, field gates, the end of a cul-de-sac. Councils in England deal with around a million incidents a year, and most of it is household waste.
Why it is a problem
- It harms wildlife and can pollute soil and water, especially when it includes chemicals or asbestos.
- Councils and landowners pay to clear it, which comes out of local budgets.
- It attracts vermin and more dumping.
You can be fined for someone else’s fly-tipping
If you pay someone to take your rubbish and they dump it, you can be held responsible under your duty of care. Cheap cash-only offers on social media are the usual cause.
How to protect yourself
- Ask for the carrier’s waste licence number and check it on the Environment Agency public register.
- Get a receipt or waste transfer note showing what was taken and where it is going.
- Be wary of anyone who will not give a business name, address or landline.
- Take a photo of the van and number plate.
If you see it
Report it to the council with a location, a description and a photo if you can. Do not touch it: it may be hazardous, and it may be evidence.
We are a licensed waste carrier (CBDU541636). Every collection comes with a transfer note.