The following are examples of fly tipping and are all illegal:
- Dumping rubbish or waste on any land where there is no waste management licence, including public highways
- Leaving rubbish or waste outside household waste recycling centres
- Putting items by communal bins, wheelie bins or in refuse areas
- Giving your waste to someone else to fly-tip
- Allowing the dumping of waste on your property.
We will take action against any householder or business who illegally disposes of their waste or does not ensure that their waste is collected by a registered waste carrier.
There are dedicated pages to report an abandoned shopping trolley or vehicle.
Report fly tipping
If you spot someone fly tipping:
- Make a note of any vehicle used, including model, colour and registration number. If it is safe to do so without being seen, take a photograph or video of the activity
- Note the fly tippers' clothes, and distinguishing features. If you can hear the fly tippers, take note of anything which was said along with the speakers' accents
- Make a note of what they dumped, the location, weather conditions and how far away you were at the time
The maximum penalty for fly tipping is a £50,000 fine and/or 5 years imprisonment.
Never touch any waste which has been dumped. It may be hazardous and contain harmful substances, chemicals, glass or needles. Our officers are specially trained and equipped to deal with this waste. There may also be clues which could help identify the perpetrator, so please treat the waste as a crime scene. We may ask you to provide a witness statement and supply any photographs or notes you have in your possession.
A range of other sanctions are also available against fly tippers. These include warnings, formal cautions, prosecution, vehicle seizures and injunctions. Offenders may also have to pay investigation, clean up and vehicle recovery costs, along with legal fees. If you carry waste without a Waste Carrier's Registration Certificate, you may be arrested and have your vehicle seized.
Vehicle seizures for waste crimes
If a vehicle, trailer or mobile plant and their contents are being, have been or will be used to commit a waste crime such as fly-tipping, we can seize a vehicle and its contents under the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 or the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
A vehicle can be seized if it is:
- Used in fly-tipping
- Driven by somebody who is not registered as a waste carrier
- Used to move waste to somebody who is not registered as a waste carrier
- Being used at a site that is breaking the rules of an environmental permit
The details of any vehicles seized will be published here and also displayed in Herefordshire Council Office, Plough Lane, Hereford, HR4 0LE. The information will be displayed on the first working day after the vehicle has been seized and will be displayed for at least 15 days after that.
The police and the registered keeper will be notified in writing that the vehicle has been seized.
Current vehicle seizure notices
When there are vehicle seizure notices they will be displayed here.