Let's SCRAP fly-tipping!

What is fly-tipping?

Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of waste. It can be any size from a single black bag to a truck load of rubbish.

It’s important to understand what is classed as fly-tipping so you don’t accidently put yourself at risk of a fine.

Infographic with text "Fly tipping is the illegal dumping of items. It can be as small as a single bag, to an entire truck load of rubbish."

Examples of fly-tipping

Armchair and rolled carpet on grassy land.

Leaving waste on unlicensed land.

Black rubbish bags by the side of a litter bin.

Leaving items by the side of a bin.

Bags of donations outside a charity shop doorway.

Leaving items outside a closed charity shop.

Bags of clothing on the floor in front of a clothing bring bank.

Leaving items outside a donation or bring bank.

Two chairs on the pavement outside a house with a 'Free' sign.

Leaving items outside your property's boundaries to be taken away for ‘free’.

Black bin bags fly-tipped at the side of a road.

Leaving items outside a closed recycling centre.

Your duty of care

We all have a legal duty to ensure our waste is disposed of properly. You can be fined or prosecuted if your waste is fly-tipped, even by someone else.

When using a waste collector, remember SCRAP:

Suspect all waste collectors. Only let them take your rubbish if they show their waste carrier licence. Write down their vehicle's registration number for your records.
Check the waste collector's registration. If in doubt, check on the Environment Agency's website or call them on 03708 506506..
Refuse unexpected offers to take your rubbish. You could be at risk if they fly-tip it.
Ask how your rubbish will be disposed of and ask for evidence.
Paperwork is your proof. Get an invoice, waste transfer note or receipt. Make sure it includes a description of the waste taken and the waste carrier’s contact details.

Alternative options for household waste

We all hate fly-tipping littering our roads and countryside in Essex. Unfortunately, illegal waste operators target everyone from householders to big businesses, with offers of cheap waste disposal.

Luckily, there are lots of different options for you to get rid of items you don’t want anymore:

donate good quality items to your local furniture project or charity shop
give items away to someone in your local community for free, using Freegle
some councils offer a bulky waste collection for certain large items
use LoveJunk - an online marketplace for you to find licenced waste carriers

£10 off your first waste collection with Love Junk*

LoveJunk is an online marketplace for you to find licenced waste carriers. It’s a great option for things that your local council can’t collect as part of their bulky waste service.

All collections are fully tracked and you will receive all the correct paperwork. It’s free for you to post and local waste collectors will send you a quote for taking the items.

Anything that can be reused will be collected for free and 98% of items are reused or recycled.

*Terms and conditions apply.

How to report fly-tipping

If you come across fly-tipped waste, please report it to the local authority where the rubbish has been fly-tipped:

Illustration of a woman holding a tablet with the words "Report flytipping" on it.

Did you know?

You can be fined or prosecuted if your waste is fly-tipped, even by someone else.