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Definition of fly-tipping

Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of waste or rubbish. It can be classed as anything from one bag of household rubbish to several van loads of construction material. If it is dumped on land that doesn’t have a licence to accept waste, it is fly-tipping and illegal.

Even leaving items beside street bins and recycling banks or outside closed recycling centres and charity shops counts as fly-tipping.

You could face a penalty or prosecution if:

  • You fly-tip
  • Someone uses your vehicle to fly-tip
  • Someone you have asked or paid to dispose of your waste fly-tips

Your waste is your responsibility.

How to report fly-tipping

Fly-tipping is illegal. If you witness someone fly-tipping, call the police on 999 and report it as a crime in progress. All instances of fly-tipping should also be reported to us as the local waste authority, whether you witnessed the fly-tipping taking place or not.

You can report fly-tipping to us online or by calling 01733 747474. The phone line is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

When you report the fly-tipping, please include as many details as possible:

  • Exact location
  • Date and time you discovered the fly-tipping
  • Details and photos of the items
  • Vehicle’s registration number and other identifying features such as colour, make and model
  • Description of the fly-tipper(s)

Please do not touch or remove any evidence found from the fly-tipping location – e.g. addressed letters. This helps us identify the responsible person.

Do not put yourself at risk. If you witness fly-tipping in progress, keep yourself safe by staying out of the way. Do not confront the perpetrators. Do not touch the waste in case it is dangerous or contaminated.

If you have witnessed a fly-tipping incident occur and are willing to support us with our investigations, we will ask you to provide a witness statement. Our experienced officers will discuss this with you in further detail.'

How we deal with fly-tipping

Waste clearance

Once reported to us, Aragon Direct Services aim to clear the fly-tipped waste within two working days (one working day if hazardous waste).

We cannot remove waste that is on privately owned land. This is the landowner's responsibility.

Investigation and enforcement

We investigate and enforce cases of fly-tipping on both public and private land. We can only do this if there is evidence of who the waste belongs to and / or who fly-tipped the waste - e.g. CCTV footage, witness statement, potential evidence in the waste etc.

You can read more about our work to prevent and tackle fly-tipping in Peterborough further down this page.

Penalties for fly-tipping

Using our enforcement powers, we always seek out and prosecute the people responsible.

  • Local authority - can issue fixed penalty notices of up to £400 for fly-tipping
  • Magistrates Court - can impose a fine of up to £50,000 or 12 months' imprisonment if convicted
  • Crown Court - can impose an unlimited fine and up to five years' imprisonment if convicted

The courts can also order those responsible to pay costs and deprive rights to a vehicle used to commit the offence.

Fly-tipping: council responsibilities - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Further information

You can also report instances of litter, debris, broken glass and dog mess on our online reporting system.

We all have a legal duty of care to make sure our waste is disposed of correctly.

If it is your waste, it is your responsibility.

Residents can dispose of their waste using:

You can also sell or donate your unwanted items. Use social media groups or websites such as eBay, Gumtree and Freecycle. Only donate items to charity shops when they are open.

Did you know anything with a plug, cable or battery can be recycled? Visit the Recycle Your Electricals website to find your nearest drop-off point.

If you hire a tradesperson or company to remove and dispose of your waste, you should ensure that they are a registered waste carrier. Ask to see their certificate. If they subsequently fly-tip your waste, you are liable and could face a fine or prosecution. Your waste – your responsibility.

Follow the SCRAP code:

  • Suspect all waste carriers – do not let them take your rubbish until they provide proof of registration. Take note of their vehicle’s registration plate.
  • Check that a waste carrier is registered on the Environment Agency’s website
  • Refuse any unexpected offers to have your waste taken away
  • Ask how your waste will be disposed of and seek evidence of this
  • Paperwork must be obtained – a proper invoice, waste transfer note or receipt, including a description of the waste being removed and the waste carrier’s contact details

If you find fly-tipped waste on your private property or land:

  • You should report the fly-tipping to us for investigation and enforcement (see reporting method further up this page). We can only investigate if there is evidence of who the waste belongs to and / or who fly-tipped the waste - e.g. CCTV footage, witness statement, potential evidence in the waste etc. Please share with us if you have it.

  • As a property owner / landowner, it is your responsibility to ensure the fly-tipped waste is legally disposed of, including covering any costs. We can only remove and dispose of fly-tipped waste from public or council-owned land.

  • When you arrange for disposal of the waste, make sure you use a registered waste carrier

The NFU website has guidance on what to do if you're a victim of fly-tipping. Their guidance includes a checklist and tips on preventing fly-tipping from happening on your land in the first place.

Visit our business waste page.

Fly-tipping has a range of social, economic and environmental implications:

  • Socially it makes areas look run-down and uncared for. This can lead to a reduction in social pride and responsibility and encourage other anti-social behaviour.
  • Economically it costs local authorities huge sums of money to deal with fly-tipping. This money could be spent on other council services such as social care.
  • Environmentally there are risks for wildlife, threats of toxic materials leaching into the ground and waterways, plus the release of dangerous CFCs from old fridges and freezers.

Tackling fly-tipping in Peterborough is one of our top priorities.

Throughout September 2024, we raised awareness about the issue in a new campaign. We featured regular messages on our social media accounts focusing on:

  • The different types of fly-tipping
  • How residents can report fly-tipping
  • Advice on getting rid of waste responsibly

Our messages were promoted around the city and in local and national media.

The campaign came after we were awarded just under £50,000 by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to target fly-tipping hotspots. The funding will see further cameras installed in hotspot locations, as well as enhanced work aimed at raising awareness of fly-tipping and waste disposal through education programmes.

Published: 05 November 2024