At war with Flytipping - Who's side are you on?

How bad is fly-tipping in the UK?

Fly-tipping is an ongoing issue, costing local authorities large sums of money each year. Which unfortunately has an impact on local communities, as this impacts council tax fees. Based on government statistics in the year of 2023/2024, the number of reported fly-tipping incidents was 1.15 million nationally, with Peterborough and Luton being particularly problematic. The number of incidents for Peterborough and surrounding areas was around 31 per day.

The frightening thing is that it will be a surprise if those figures don't rise for 2024/2025. Fly-tipping seems to be rife at present, with no signs of any letup. Which is a burden on local authorities as well as residents in affected communities. There is pretty robust evidence that local authorities and the environment agency are taking actions to tackle the problem. However, to strengthen those actions, household residents need to play their part also if we are to see substantial and continuous reductions in fly-tipping incidents. After all, they actually have a legal duty to ensure their waste is disposed of responsibly, and doing so will reduce fly-tipping risks. A high proportion of householders believe it is ok to pay anybody to remove waste on their behalf, often described as tip runs. That is not actually the case, as any individual or business they pay to do this MUST be an Environment Agency Registered Waste Carrier. This can be checked by entering their details into the Government Waste Carrier Register here:  https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers

They should also be able to get a physical license. Failing to carry out this check could have substantial consequences if the waste ends up being fly-tipped. Currently the average fine for householders convicted of flytipping offences is £530. This is because they are classed as the "producer of waste" and therefore duty-bound to ensure it is disposed of responsibly. If they cannot prove they took reasonable actions to do so by using registered waste carriers, they are at risk of prosecution as well as the "waste carrier" in the event of fly-tipping.

Ways you can reduce flytipping occurring 

There are additional measures that can be taken to ensure waste is disposed of correctly. Unbeknownst to many household residents, a registered waste carrier must pay to dispose of the waste they collect. They are not allowed to use Council Household Waste Recycling Facilities and tip waste there for free (only the householder themselves should do this). Instead, they should use regulated waste disposal facilities licensed by the Environment Agency, as it provides full traceability of the waste. This is because through the waste transfer notes produced by the waste carrier and the disposal facility, together with computer records, safe and responsible disposal can be proven.

Flytipping is a crime, and at the end of the day, there will always be the temptation for individuals to commit waste crime to make a few extra quid. Unfortunately, this can also include registered waste carriers, although it is less likely. However, there will always be individuals who pose as legitimate but aren't. It is also not uncommon for waste carriers to operate illegally by carrying waste they shouldn't (some waste carriers should only carry waste produced by their business) or carrying waste with higher disposal fees (which they flytip when they get caught out with those disposal costs). This can happen when a license is held by an individual to carry their own waste, and they then decide to do "tip runs" in their spare time, which there currently seems to be an influx of. Therefore, it is advisable to consider all of the following when looking to instruct someone to remove your waste. In doing so you are not just protecting yourself from prosecution but also preventing the risk of your waste being fly-tipped in your local area or other locations.

▪︎Check the business is a registered waste carrier here https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers

▪︎ Don't be afraid to ask to see waste transfer notes for your waste (the waste clearance provider is duty bound under their license conditions to produce them before leaving the collection site). If they can't do this, they are not operating correctly, which could mean there is a fly-tipping risk.

▪︎ Waste carriers do not tip waste for free; they have to pay. Therefore, consider this when obtaining quotes. If it seems too cheap, it probably is, for a reason. By all means make savings where you can on your waste disposal costs if possible by using rubbish clearance services favourably priced against other providers or skip hire, but within reason (if one costs £300 and another costs £30, it could be too big a discrepancy).

▪︎ Due to current legislation, the disposal costs of items such as sofas, mattresses, fridges, and freezers carry additional or higher costs than general household waste. Be cautious of cheap quotes for these items; they often end up fly-tipped.

▪︎ Anyone with a van and spare time can claim to be a rubbish clearance company. Often they do not have one or many of the following: a license (not a tip permit), evidence of waste transfer notes, a website, or appropriate knowledge of waste disposal legislation. Legitimate and responsible waste carriers often tick all of these, as they are fundamental to their business.

Together, we can make a difference 

Household waste accounts for over 60% of reported fly-tipping incidents and saw an increase of 5% in 2023/2024. So whose side are you on with the war against fly-tipping? You can make a difference by choosing reputable waste removal businesses (following the actions above). Local authorities (councils) are upping the ante with investigating waste crime and prosecuting those found guilty. The Environment Agency is currently carrying out audits of waste carriers and performing roadside checks to identify and penalise irresponsible or illegal carriers. These actions are invaluable but need to increase. Your actions when choosing your waste clearance company are equally, if not more, important. As a nation we are currently at a point where two things are key in stopping fly-tipping from becoming an irreversible trend. The first is to be more selective by choosing trusted services to remove our waste. The second is more fines and seizure of vehicles of those that do. If those things don't happen, our roads, laybys, neighbourhoods, and countrywide will forever be blighted with rubbish that costs councils and taxpayers to clear up.