Refuse - flytipping

Flytipping and Waste Carriers

Fly-tippers are spoiling beautiful countryside across Kent and further afield. It costs local authorities £44 million to clean up every year and the Government has issued new powers to help prevent it.

If you see someone flytipping, do not confront them, but note the description and registration of any vehicle involved, what the person looks like and the time and place. Please pass this information to your local Reactive Pollution Team at Maidstone council, or report it online.

If the rubbish appears to be hazardous (chemical drums, for example) or there is a vast quantity of it (more than a lorry load) contact the Environment Agency's 24-hour hotline on 0800 807060.

Builders, plumbers, gardeners and other people who take materials from your home or business without holding a valid licence already face prison or large fines. But householders who use unregistered waste carriers, knowingly or otherwise, can now be prosecuted and fined up to £5,000. Some will carry a copy of their waste carrier licence with them, but you should make sure it is genuine by calling the Environment Agency on 08708 506506.

If the carrier cannot tell you their licence number, the Agency can check using the name of the company or individual. Some operators may tell you the job is too small to require a licence or claim they are exempt from the legislation. But exemptions also need to be registered and you should always check, to protect yourself from prosecution.