Report flytipping...
What is flytipping?
Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of rubbish or bulky items on land not licensed to receive it. Fly-tipping can be dangerous, pollutes land and waterways and costs the council tax payer significant amounts of money to clear away.
Dumping household, industrial and commercial waste illegally is a serious criminal offence that carries a fine of up to £50,000 (unlimited if the case goes to the Crown Court) or an offender can even be sent to prison. It is also an offence to permit fly-tipping. Wakefield Council treats this problem very seriously and will usually prosecute anyone caught fly-tipping waste.
Fly-tipping is often associated with dumping waste from vehicles; in this case the person who owns the vehicle can also be prosecuted, which means that it is possible for a prosecution to occur when only the vehicle, not the driver, is identifiable. The police also have the powers to seize vehicles used for fly-tipping.
Report fly-tipping to your council
You should contact Wakefield Council if you see someone fly-tipping or to report fly-tipped waste; in both cases, provide as much detail as possible. Don't try and tackle the fly tipper yourself. If you see someone fly tipping, try to take note of:
- How many people are involved and what they look like
- What has been tipped - how much and what it looks like
- Details of any vehicles involved including make, colour and registration number if possible
Duty of Care - Household
If you are a householder and you are passing waste onto someone who is not the dustman or the local council you are now under an obligation to check the person you are handing your waste to is authorised to take it.
If you are not sure whether someone is authorised you can check with your local Environment Agency Office or check online at http://www2.environment-agency.gov.uk/epr/search.asp?type=register.
Failure to check that someone is correctly authorised to take the waste is an offence under Section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and you may receive a fine of up to £5,000 (unlimited if dealt with at Crown Court).
