Fly Tipping

'Fly-tipped' waste generally consists of large items of rubbish that are dumped illegally instead of being disposed of properly at a landfill site or tip.

The most common types of fly-tipped waste are: -

Household waste
Large domestic items such as fridges and mattresses
Garden Waste
Commercial waste such as builders rubble, tyres and clinical waste
Hazardous wastes

Fly-tipped rubbish on private land is the responsibility of the owner.

Why is fly-tipping a problem?

Approximately 60,000 tonnes of waste is dumped in England and Wales. The Environment Agency estimates that there are around 50,000 incidents of fly-tipping each year. Fly-tipping is: -

Illegal – and clearing it up costs money
Unsightly – fly-tipping is a sign of a neglected neighbourhood and is associated with increased levels of crime and the fear of crime.
Unsafe – dumped waste can consist of dangerous items such as syringes, asbestos and toxic waste. It can attract rats, flies and other disease carrying pests.

What can we all do to prevent fly-tipping?

Don't put up with dumped rubbish, report it! If you are paying someone to remove your waste make sure they are an approved contractor and hold a waste carriers licence. You as householders have a duty of care under the environmental act to make sure these checks are undertaken; otherwise any waste traced back to any waste producer (householder) will result with a prosecution.

If rubbish has been dumped on public or council owned land we'll make sure that the rubbish is removed and the crime is investigated by our enforcement officers. We are not able to remove rubbish from private land but will contact the landowner pointing out their responsibility under the Environmental Protection Act.

Reporting people who fly-tip

Fly-tippers are doing something illegal, they don't want to get caught.

Do not approach them
Do not go near the rubbish until you are sure it is safe
Do not touch anything

If you see someone fly-tipping, make a note of the following and contact us with details of: -

The date, time and place where it happened
What the waste looks like and how much there is
A description of any vehicles involved and the vehicle registration if possible.
A description of the offender if possible.

What is Broxtowe Borough Council doing about fly-tipping?

Cleaning up

We receive around 900 reports of fly-tipping every year, which is normally cleared up within 24 hours depending on the nature of the waste. If the waste is hazardous then we employ a private contractor to undertake the removal.

Prosecutions and legal action

Fly-tipping is illegal; we will prosecute anyone caught fly-tipping in the borough under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Those found guilty of fly-tipping can be fined up to £20,000 and face six months in prison. If the case goes to the Crown Court, penalties increase to two years in prison and an unlimited fine. People who dump hazardous waste (e.g. toxic waste, asbestos etc.) face five years in prison if convicted.