Fly Tipping
Example of fly tipping - various items dumped illegally.
Information about how to report fly tipping.
What is Fly Tipping?
Fly Tipping is the "illegal deposit of any waste on to land that has no licence to accept waste."
Waste includes: general household waste, larger domestic items e.g. fridges, mattresses etc, garden refuse, commercial waste e.g. builders rubble, clinical waste and tyres. Such waste can occur in any quantities in any mixture in any location.
The Council provides ample facilities for the removal of waste and unwanted goods and materials. Including special collections for bulky items contact details prices etc 01253 658658 or email listening@fylde.gov.uk. When people choose not to use these facilities they may dump their waste indiscriminately. Fly tipping can appear anywhere:- housing estates: grass verges; private land; garage sites; woodland; public open spaces; cemeteries; even neighbours gardens - the list goes on - nowhere is safe.
It is an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to fly tip any material. Conviction could lead to a heavy fine of upto £50,000.
Fly tippers are doing something illegal. They do not want to be caught. You should not approach them. Only approach the site when you are sure it safe to do so.
Some waste is hazardous. Do not touch anything, you should not approach the waste or open any bags or containers.
You can call the Fly tipping Hotline 01253 658657 and a member of the Pollution Team will investigate your report, or you can submit your report on-line.When you ring the hotline to report fly tipping, please help by giving them:
- Your details, name, address, telephone number etc. (This will not be used in evidence without your express permission)
- Day, date and time that you saw the fly tipped rubbish.
- Location of the dumped rubbish. (Please be as specific as you can).
- Did you see anyone in the act of dumping the rubbish?
- Details of the fly tippers. (Include the following: how many people you saw dumping the rubbish; what they looked like; Did you recognise any of them? Their names and addresses if you know any of them.)
- Was there a vehicle involved? If so what did it look like? What was its make, model, colour and registration number? Were there any distinguishing features on it?
- At what time did you first see the tipping and at what time did you see it stop? Did you see the whole incident from the beginning? If not, from what point did you see it?
- Where were you when you saw the fly tipping? (Include details on the view you had; whether you could see clearly; where you were in relation to the incident; how far away you were.
- What was the weather like? (E.g. clear/cloudy/sunny/dark).
- What was dumped e.g. bed, food, furniture, medical waste, or what did the waste look like? (E.g. black bags, drums).
- How much was there. (E.g. two black bags, car boot full, lorry load).
- Was anyone else there with you? Please give their name and contact details if they are happy for you to do so.
- These details will greatly assist in our investigations and hopefully the subsequent prosecution of the fly tippers.
Investigation
Officers of the Pollution section will investigate the report within 3 working days and will attempt to identify, as far as is reasonably practicable, the following:-
- The hazard presented by the waste
- The source of the waste from the contents
- Ownership of the land on which the waste is dumped
- The person(s) responsible for depositing the waste
Where sufficient evidence is uncovered by investigation, actions will be taken against individuals and companies. Acting with the assistance of our Operational Services Unit we aim to ensure that waste is removed from public land within 7 working days of receiving the initial report. An incident of fly tipping where the tipping takes place on private land, the Council will assist the landowner but the responsibility for ensuring its removal relies with him/her and not the council.
Contact with Customer
The Pollution Officer will inform the customer by standard letter of the action taken in respect of the fly tipping incident.
The attached leaflet out lines the responsibilities of individual householder and businesses for the proper disposal of their waste along the offences and the penalties that they attract. It also provides details of how incidents of fly tipping may be reported to the Council
