Fly-Tipping
The fight against Fly-Tipping
What is Fly-Tipping?
Fly-tipping is defined as "the unauthorized disposal of any trash on lands that do not have permission to accept it.
The size can vary from one bag of rubbish, to a mattress and a bed, or several bags of builder's rubble and garden waste.
There are 4 common types of fly tippers:
Waste left on the street outside of collection periods by businesses or residences
Businesses that fail to establish a commercial garbage pickup agreement and dump their trash in black garbage bags on the street or in containers reserved for residents only.
Businesses or people that leave large goods on the street without making a bulky trash collection appointment.
Trash is collected by rogue traders and improper garbage collectors, who then dump it unlawfully.
What is the difference between littering and fly-tipping?
Litter is defined as little objects (most frequently materials connected with cigarettes, food, and drinks) that are carelessly disposed of or spilt during company activities. Fly-tipping is typically defined as the disposal of large objects or more than one sack of garbage.
Why is it illegal?
Fly-tipping is unlawful for a variety of reasons, including the presence of undesired trash on your property. It can be hazardous; any sharp objects in the area where it has been deposited can endanger both humans and animals.
There have been instances where fly-tippers have dumped construction trash in a neighbourhood, causing dogs to be harmed while out on a stroll. Animals ingesting garbage or being caught or wounded in it pose a threat to local wildlife.
Much of the garbage dumped on the ground may be recycled. It might be properly sorted and recycled if it was transported to a proper home trash recycling centre. Toxic chemicals might be present in uncontrolled illicit garbage, posing a threat to the environment, wildlife, and even humans.
The government stats
Fly-Tipping caused local authorities in England, including Suffolk, to have to deal with 1.13 million fly-tipping incidents in 2020/21. This is at a cost to taxpayers of £11.6 million.
In 2019/20 it was recorded at 980,000 incidents reported so there has been a 16% increase in incidents to report fly tipping with the figures still rising year on year.
The most common place for fly tipping to occur was on pavements and roads, which accounted for 43% of the total incidents in 2020/21. The most common size for fly-tipping incidents was the equivalent to a small van load (34%), followed by a car boot or less (26%).
The number of fixed penalty notices issued was 57,600 in 2020/21, a decrease of 24% from 75,400 in 2019/20. This is the second most common action after investigations and accounted for 13% of all actions in 2020/21.
What are the penalties for Fly-Tipping
The penalty for fly-tipping depends on the seriousness of the offence. Offenders can be given a £400 fixed penalty notice for a small-scale offence and in serious cases, prosecution in court can end in either a fine up to £50,000 or 12 months imprisonment.
Why it is important to use a licensed waste carrier
Households and companies must have their garbage collected by licensed and certified waste collectors under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Waste can only be collected by these approved service companies. Trash-related criminality and fly-tipping are heavily influenced by illegal waste collectors.
One of the most telling indicators that a waste carrier is illegal is that they won't be able to show you their waste carrier's license or a waste transfer notice. This is formal documentation verifying the receipt of your garbage and the location to which it is sent.
All waste transporters need to register with the Environment Agency in order to transport and dispose of waste. You can be sure you're dealing with a registered waste carrier, by making use of an online public register that lets you look up a business name or registration number. Don't use someone whose waste carrier registration you can't check.
Illegal waste collectors frequently advertise their services informally, such as through classified advertisements in local papers, spam mail, door-to-door inquiries, or social media. You will be held liable even if your trash is dumped illegally by someone fly-tipping. What appeared to be a good deal on waste collection might turn into a costly nightmare.
If you believe your waste carrier is operating without a license, make a detailed record of their information (name, phone number, business card or flyer, vehicle registration number, etc.) so that enforcement action may be done. Please notify your local council if this occurs.
What are we doing to fight against fly tipping?
We are committed to ensuring that anything we collect during a house clearance is dealt with in the most sustainable and responsible way possible with no fly tipping . We pride ourselves in recycling, donating and reusing as much of the items we collect as possible with a zero to landfill philosophy.
We are registered with the Environmental Agency and anything that we are unable to find a new home for will be recycled using our upper tier waste carriers licence at a licenced recycling centre.
What can you do if you discover fly-tipping waste?
Fly-tipping is a serious criminal offence for which you can be prosecuted, so if you discover fly-tipping waste, you can report it to your local council here
If you witness fly-tipping in progress, please be careful as the criminals will not take kindly to you whistleblowing on them.
