Helping Leicester District Council with fly tipping

Fly tipping in Leicestershire is a common problem, however in April 2007, Leicester County Council were granted permission to seize vehicles used in fly tipping offences under the provisions given in the Cleaner Neighbourhood Act 2005.

“Fly-tipping costs Leicester City Council over £310,000 a year to investigate and clear up.”

Fly tipping is the illegal dumping of waste, from a single bag of rubbish to a lorry load, and can be found on footpaths, roadsides, lay-bys and private land.

Whilst it is the responsibility of the landowner to clear fly tipping from their own land, the District Council are responsible for clearing publicly owned land including roads and footpaths.

What you should do when you discover fly tipping

If you observe fly tipping in the area, here are the following dos and don’ts in order to report it:

Inspect the waste visually: be careful and stand up-wind to avoid any possible fumes. What does it consist of, what quantities are involved and where is the location of the load – in particular whether it is in or anywhere near water.

Do not touch the waste: fly tipping waste can sometimes be hazardous and may include toxic chemicals, such as asbestos, broken glass or clinical waste.

Do not disturb the site: there may be evidence that could lead to prosecution.

Contact the local authority or Environment Agency: they will arrange for a registered carrier of waste to remove the load and dispose of it safely. Photographic evidence can also help Leicester County Council in their ongoing investigation.

For further information on reporting a fly tipping issue, see How to report fly tipping on the Leicester County Council website. For more on fly tipping nationwide, read our article.

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Source and image: www.leicester.gov.uk