Report fly tipping

Overview

Information on the types of waste, the types of land commonly affected, the consequences of getting caught and the impacts of fly-tipping.

Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of waste and is a crime.

Types of waste that are fly-tipped include:

  • general household waste
  • appliances like fridges and washing machines
  • waste from building and demolition work
  • animal carcasses
  • vehicle parts and tyres
  • hazardous waste like oil, asbestos sheeting and chemicals

The types of land most commonly affected by fly-tipping include:

  • land near to public waste tips
  • roadsides and private land, particularly on the outskirts of urban areas
  • back alleys
  • derelict land

If you get caught fly-tipping, you can be:

  • fined up to £50,000 in Magistrates' Courts
  • faced with unlimited fines in higher courts
  • faced with community punishment orders or a prison sentence of up to five years

If you're convicted of fly-tipping offences, you can be made to pay the costs of enforcement and investigation, as well as the clean-up costs.

Impacts of fly-tipping

There are many impacts of fly-tipping.

Fly-tipping:

  • is a criminal activity that can cause serious pollution of the environment, can be a risk to human health and can harm wildlife and farm animals
  • spoils the local neighbourhoods and quality of life
  • costs around Â£100 million in total to clean up
  • costs local councils around £44 million each year to clear up
  • is seen as a major problem by landowners and affects 67% of farmers
  • takes work away from legitimate waste management companies