Fly-tipping
Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping or tipping of waste or rubbish onto any land that does not have a licence to accept that waste.
It includes everything from general household rubbish and fridges to mattresses, rubble and tyres.
As a resident and a business, you have a responsibility to help make sure your waste is disposed of properly. Even if you give your waste to someone else, and they then illegally dump it, you could still be fined or face court action if you haven't taken reasonable steps to prevent that from happening. This is known as Duty of Care.
The penalty for fly-tipping ranges from a hefty fine up to £50,000 or up to five years in prison depending on what is dumped, how much is dumped and where.
We investigate all reports of fly-tipping where there is a reasonable chance of finding evidence that will lead to a prosecution.
What to do if you see someone fly-tipping
If you see someone fly-tipping write down as many relevant details as possible and report them to us. The sort of information we need includes:
- A description of the people fly-tipping
- Full description of any vehicle involved, especially the registration
- What was fly-tipped
- What kind of view you had and whether anyone else was with you
Do not approach the fly-tipper or place yourself in danger.
How you can help stop fly-tipping
You can help stop fly-tipping by making sure your waste is disposed of properly. Follow the S.C.R.A.P code to keep yourself safe from prosecution and to help to protect our environment.
- S - Suspect all waste carriers. Do not let them take your waste until they have proven themselves to be legitimate. A professional waste carrier should happily answer reasonable questions.
- C - Check that a waste carrier has a licence, using the waste carrier public register on Environment Agency website.
- R - Refuse any unexpected offers to have your rubbish taken away. If you suspect that someone who you have spoken to will be disposing of waste illegally, report them to the Environment Agency.
- A - Ask what will happen to your rubbish and seek evidence that it is going to be disposed of appropriately.
- P - Paperwork must be obtained. Always get a proper invoice, waste transfer note or receipt, including a description of the waste being removed and the waste carrier’s contact details.
Report fly-tipping on public land
If you see rubbish dumped on public land, roads, paths or bridleways then please report it to us. We will investigate and arrange for the waste to be removed.
If the waste blocks the road or presents an immediate hazard to traffic report it to the County Council Highways Department on 01905 765765.
Report an incident of fly-tipping
Alternatively, please call Client Services on 01386 565018.
Reported fly-tipping would normally be cleared within 24 hours, Monday to Friday. It may take longer if reported over the weekend or if further investigation is needed.
Fly-tipping on private land
If waste is dumped on private land then it is the landowner's responsibility to remove it, or ask a licensed waste carrier to do it for them, and make sure it is disposed of properly. We can still investigate where the waste has come from.
If the waste presents a health hazard it should be reported to Worcs Regulatory Services on 01905 822799 Monday-Friday 8am - 8pm, Saturday 9am - 5pm (answerphone after office hours) or email
Report an incident of fly-tipping on private land
Register as a waste carrier, broker or dealer
You must register if you do any of these things as part of your business:
- transport waste
- buy, sell or dispose of waste
- arrange for someone else to buy, sell or dispose of waste
You can register for a waste carrier licence on the Government's website.
