Fly tipping
Fly tipping is the illegal disposal of controlled waste. It is a criminal offence.
We will take action against any householder or business who illegally disposes of their waste or does not ensure that their waste is collected by a registered waste carrier.
Dumping waste on any land where there is no waste management licence is a criminal offence. Leaving waste outside household waste recycling centres when they are busy or closed is also an offence.
Dropping litter on any land is also an offence, for which you can be issued with a £50 fixed penalty.
If you carry waste without a Waste Carrier's Registration Certificate, you may be arrested and have your vehicle seized.
A range of sanctions are available against fly tippers. These include warnings, formal cautions, prosecution, vehicle seizures and injunctions. Offenders may also have to pay investigation, clean up and vehicle recovery costs, along with legal fees.
The maximum penalty for fly tipping is a £50,000 fine and / or 5 years imprisonment.
Private land
Private land owners have the responsibility for removing waste from their own land, but we can provide advice on how best to do this. Remember that if you allow fly tipping on your property, we can take action against you.
Householders' duty of care
Householders have a duty to ensure their waste goes to an authorised person or to a licensed carrier. If you ask someone to remove waste for you, or if someone offers you a waste removal service, ask to see their Waste Carrier's Registration Certificate. A genuine waste contractor will be happy to show you the proper documentation. If you allow your waste to be removed without checking the carrier's credentials and it is subsequently dumped, you may be liable to prosecution. Please be particularly careful with cold callers at your door, who offer to remove any waste for cash.
You can confirm a trader has the necessary credentials by calling the Environment Agency on 03708 506 506 and requesting an instant Waste Carrier Validation Check. Alternatively you can visit the Environment Agency's website.
National Fly Tipping Prevention Group
The National Fly Tipping Prevention Group (NFTPG) is a group of organisations across the country working together to tackle fly tipping. To receive further information on fly tipping and gain an insight into their work and members, visit the NFTPG website.
How do I report fly tipping?
Fly tipping is a crime.
Don’t approach anyone suspected of fly tipping directly. If you wish to report fly tipping or have witnessed rubbish being dumped and are willing to assist in our investigations, we would be pleased to hear from you.
To report fly tipping or illegal waste activity call Herefordshire Council on 01432 260500 or mail info@herefordshire.gov.uk
If you do witness fly tipping, help us by taking the following steps:
- Make a note of any vehicle used, including model, colour and registration number
- Note the fly tippers' clothes, and distinguishing features. If you can hear the fly tippers, take note of anything which was said along with the speakers' accents
- Make a note of what they dumped, the location, weather conditions and how far away you were at the time
Never touch any waste which has been dumped. It may be hazardous and contain harmful substances, chemicals, glass or needles. Our officers are specially trained and equipped to deal with this waste. There may also be clues which could help identify the perpetrator, so please treat the waste as a crime scene. Don't touch or remove anything.
We may ask you to provide a witness statement and supply any photographs or notes you have in your possession. Often we will only need details of when the incident took place and who was involved.
Even if prosecution isn’t possible, we will arrange to remove the discarded waste.
How can I dispose of my waste legally?
Take your household rubbish to one of our household recycling centres. This service is free, but these sites don't take trade or industrial waste. If you bring waste in a trailer, commercial vehicle, or pick-up truck, we'll need to see the relevant permit - information on permits can be found by visiting Let's Waste Less.
If you have bulky household waste but can't get it to a household recycling centre, then you can arrange for us to collect it from your house for a small fee.
Some parishes and villages have a free parish freighter service which operates on Saturdays and allow you to take your bulky household waste to a pre-agreed location (usually a local car park) where you can dispose of the waste directly.
None of these sites or schemes will accept trade waste - you will need to make private arrangements for any collection of trade waste. The council is able to offer a competitive trade waste collection service.