Fly tipping is the act of illegally dumping rubbish, or depositing waste on any land with no license to accept waste.
It is a growing problem that:
- spoils our enjoyment of our towns and countryside
- pollutes the environment, which can harm wildlife (as well as human health if hazardous waste is involved)
- undermines waste businesses who follow the law
- can influence house prices as well as keeping businesses and visitors away
- costs local authorities millions of pounds each year to clear up
Hot spots include lay-bys, verges, pavements, farmland and public opens spaces. Fly tipping waste can range from a single bin bag to items such as furniture, white goods, car parts, bikes or prams.
Your responsibility as a householder
If you are a householder, you have a legal responsibility to make sure that the waste from your home is disposed of properly.
You could receive a £300 fixed penalty notice if you give your waste to somebody who then goes on to dump the material.
Find more information about your responsibility under the ‘Duty of Care’ section on our Caru Cymru page.
If you witness fly tipping
You should not approach or confront people you believe to have fly tipped. However, if you see a waste crime being committed, you can call the police (non-emergency) on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
If you saw the people/vehicle involved record as many details as possible – for example licence plate, distinguishing features and where you saw it happen.
Take photos if possible and details of any other witnesses if they agree.
What to do if you discover fly tipped waste
Do not touch or disturb the waste because it could be hazardous.
Report fly tipping
You can report fly tipping to us by completing our online form.
For larger scale incidents, incidents involving hazardous waste or organised gangs, you can also report fly tipping to Natural Resources Wales (external link).
We will always use the full extent of the law to tackle fly tipping. This could mean giving a £400 fixed penalty notice to the fly tipper, and the maximum penalty at court of £50,000 or a 12-month prison sentence.
It is the responsibility of landowners to deal with any fly-tipping on private land.
After you have reported fly tipping
Our enforcement team will investigate and try to identify the offender so we can take enforcement action against them. If you agree to be a witness it can help us secure a conviction.
We aim to remove dumped rubbish within 24 hours, however larger amounts may take longer.