Fly Tipping Crackdown

Published Monday 25 September, 2023
Last updated on Friday 29 September, 2023

Waste carriers were targeted last week as part of a day of action to crackdown on fly-tipping.

Swale Borough Council teamed up with Kent Police’s Rural Task Force to crack down on suspected fly-tipping, collect evidence, and take enforcement action for waste related crimes.

Outcomes of the day were:

• 8 vehicles stopped and searched.
• 4 Fixed Penalty Notices issued.

Cllr Rich Lehmann, chair of the Environment Committee at the council, said:

“We as a council are determined to crack down on fly-tipping, it is an incredibly selfish act that spoils the environment for everyone.

“That is why our officers are regularly teaming up with Kent Police to give out penalty notices to clamp down on fly-tipping.

“It can be tempting to go with someone who offers a cheap way of getting rid of your waste, but you are likely to face a fine of £400 if any illegally carried or dumped waste leads back to you.

“The fixed penalty notice legislation has changed recently, so we will be reviewing our position and looking at increasing fines for waste related offences like littering and fly-tipping.

“People say scrap metal has value and that it won’t be fly-tipped, but if someone’s getting rid of metal waste from building work, for example, we need to check where the non-metal waste has gone.

“We all have a legal duty to make sure our waste is disposed of responsibly, so you should always ask the waste carriers for their license and ask for a written receipt or transfer note.

“Help us keep Swale’s environment clean by disposing of your waste responsibly."

Swale Borough Council regularly carries out these days of action with Kent Police. The council’s enforcement team gathers intelligence in advance to help target the right areas to carry out their duties.

What can you do to dispose of your waste responsibly?

Fly-tippers often target households via social media or local advertising, luring customers in with cheap rates to dispose of unwanted furniture, building rubble or garden waste.

However, these unlicensed waste carriers often simply dump the waste wherever they can get away with it, including in Kent’s country lanes.

Householders or small businesses found to be using criminals to dispose of their waste can and are being prosecuted by local authorities in Kent with fixed penalty notices that go up to £400 per offence.  Failure to pay such an FPN may result in court action where fines can be significantly larger.

To prevent this, householders should check whether someone is licenced to carry waste by visiting the Environment Agency website, or calling 03708 506506.

It also helps if householders receive a written receipt or transfer note, including contact details, description of waste removed and details of where the waste is being taken to.