You can report an incident to your Local Council to investigate.

What should I do if I see someone fly-tipping?

Witnesses are vitally important in enabling action to be taken against people who fly-tip waste, so please do not hesitate to report any incident that you witness as soon as possible.

Do not put yourself in danger by approaching anyone you see dumping waste; they are criminals, who may be involved in other criminal activities, and as such are unlikely to respond well to being challenged. If it is possible to observe them safely, the more information you are able to provide, the better the chances of an investigation.

1. Time and date of incident;
2. Description of person(s) dumping waste;
3. Description of vehicle(s) involved, including registration numbers;
4. Description of the waste dumped;
5. Photographs can also be very useful, but only if it is possible to obtain them safely.

Please be reassured that any information supplied in connection to any such incident is treated in strictest confidence in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. If you make notes please keep them, even if they are scribbled notes on the back of an envelope. Actual notes taken at the time can be very valuable as evidence.

Do not try to rummage through the waste yourself to look for evidence, as there may be hazardous or sharp items hidden among the waste. Council staff will carry out a thorough examination of the waste as part of their investigation.

Photograph courtesy of Keep Britain Tidy