Please read our information on how we are supporting residents and businesses, as well as information on affected services.
Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of rubbish or bulky items on land not licensed to receive it.
Fly-tipping can be dangerous. It pollutes land and waterways and costs the council tax payer significant amounts of money to clear away.
Report fly-tipping on Council owned land
If you see someone fly-tipping or wish to report fly-tipped waste on council land, please report it to us, giving as much detail as possible. We will remove within 48 hours unless:
- there is an ongoing investigation relating to the fly-tip or
- we need to arrange specialist resources to remove it
Vehicles including cars, motorbikes, caravans and trailers, should be reported through our abandoned vehicles process. Please do not report as a fly tip.
Fly-tipping on private land
The Council is not responsible for clearing and collecting fly-tips on private land, which should be reported to the landowner.
However, our Public Protection team may investigate reports of fly-tipping on private land. Further details of this can be found on our environmental crime pages.
If you discover fly-tipped waste
Do not:
- touch the waste - it may contain syringes, broken glass, asbestos, toxic chemicals or other hazardous substances
- disturb the site - there may be evidence that could help identify the fly-tippers and lead to their prosecution
Do:
- visually try to work out what the waste consists of and how much there is
- make a note of the day, date and time you saw the tipping, its exact location and whether it is in or near water
If you see someone fly-tipping
If you see someone fly-tipping make a note of:
- how many people are involved and what they look like
- what has been tipped - how much and what it looks like
- details of any vehicles involved including make, colour and registration number if possible
Penalty for fly-tipping
Dumping household, industrial and commercial waste illegally is a serious criminal offence, it:
- carries a fine of up to £20,000 (unlimited if the case goes to the Crown Court) or
- an offender can be sent to prison
We treat this problem very seriously and will usually prosecute anyone caught fly-tipping waste.
Fly-tipping is often associated with dumping waste from vehicles. In this case the person who owns the vehicle can also be prosecuted. This means that it is possible for a prosecution to occur when only the vehicle, not the driver, is identifiable. The police also have the powers to seize vehicles used for fly-tipping.
Need help?
Most issues can be resolved online, it's the quickest and most convenient way to get help.
Use our contact us form- Refuse and recycling
- 0300 123 4141