Fly-tipping

Fly-tipping is when waste is dumped illegally. To qualify as fly-tipping there must be the equivalent of single bin bag of waste, or more. Less than this is littering. 

Report a fly-tip

We remove fly-tips on council-managed land (public highways and council-managed parks).

Any information you provide will be treated with the strictest confidence.

We aim to remove fly-tips on public highways within five working days of reporting.

Report now

You can also report hazardous waste or hazardous spillages. We aim to remove these within two hours of reporting.

Help us catch fly-tippers

If you have any information regarding a fly-tipping incident in the borough you can call us on 020 8891 1411.

Any information you provide will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Fly-tipping and the law

Fly-tipping is a criminal offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and those caught can be prosecuted and fined.

Our enforcement officers have the power to issue £1,000 on-the-spot Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) for small scale fly-tipping.

Large scale fly-tipping can be punished with a £50,000 fine, and/or a 12 month prison sentence. Offenders convicted of large scale fly-tipping in a Crown Court can face an unlimited fine, and/or a five year prison sentence.

Our enforcement officers also have the power to seize, impound, and destroy any vehicle used for fly-tipping. Both the driver and the owner of the vehicle can be prosecuted for the offence.

Fly-tips on private land

The responsibility for clearing waste on private land (which includes most shared alleyways, access roads, and garages) lies with the owner or occupier.

Private land owners seeking a fly-tip clearance service should contact a privately operating licensed waste carrier or contact us for a quote.

If you are a private landowner or occupier, you must also ensure that your land is as secure as is practically possible. Penalties for fly-tipping will apply if you allow someone to fly-tip on your land.

We may choose to investigate further if fly-tipping becomes a persistent problem on a plot of private land.

Disposing of waste responsibly

You should dispose of waste in one of the following ways.

Use a re-use and recycle scheme

Re-use and recycling helps the environment by reducing waste and saving resources.

Any items you donate must be in good condition and should be easily re-usable, repairable, or recyclable.

Examples of items include:

• Furniture
• Large appliances
• Electrical equipment
• Bikes
• Prams, cots, toys
• Garden tools and equipment

Learn more about re-use and recycle schemes.

Book a bulky or DIY waste collection

We will collect:

• Household waste items that are too big for the bin (e.g. furniture and appliances)
• DIY waste (e.g. doors, skirting boards, or carpets)

Book a bulky waste collection.

Take waste to the tip

You can use our waste and recycling centre to dispose of:

• Household waste; or
• Small quantities of domestic DIY waste

Find your nearest waste and recycling centre.

Use a private waste collector

You can pay for waste to be collected by a licensed waste carrier.

Avoiding rogue waste collectors

You should only use a licensed waste carrier to dispose of waste.

Everyone has a legal 'duty of care' to ensure that their waste is disposed of correctly. You can be prosecuted for fly-tipping even if your waste was fly-tipped by someone else on your behalf.

You can protect yourself against rogue waste collectors by following the SCRAP code:

• Suspect or be cautious of all waste carriers until they have provided their registration number
• Check that a waste carrier is registered with the Environment Agency
• Refuse cold callers or unexpected offers to take your waste away
• Ask what will happen to your waste and seek evidence that it will be disposed of appropriately
• Paperwork must be obtained - such as a receipt, waste transfer note, or detailed invoice including a description of the waste being removed and the waste carrier’s contact information