Fly Tipping is the illegal deposit of any waste onto land. This includes the 'tipping or dumping' of waste onto land that does not have an appropriate licence to accept waste. Some fly tipping is low volume but with a big impact on local environmental quality: white goods and furniture in verges, builder's rubble in gateways, plastic sacks in alleys. However, incidences can be more serious involving more hazardous wastes such as clinical waste, tyres or asbestos, or drums of liquid. The circumstances and locations can be many and various - at the least fly tipping is unsightly and costly for landowners to remove. At its worst it can be polluting and / or dangerous to human health. Fly tipping also avoids the cost of proper waste management - undercutting more responsible businesses.

One of the most important controls helping to combat fly tipping is the Duty of Care supported by Waste Carrier Registration.

Anyone finding or witnessing fly tipping should contact their environment agency or local authority.

Fly Tipping is an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978 and various Highways Acts. The penalty for infringement is a heavy fine and can lead to a custodial sentence and loss of vehicle if applicable.

Because of the nature of fly tipped wastes and its occurrence a number of authorities and agencies can become involved. To overcome any potential duplication and to ensure a comprehensive approach, the Fly Tipping Stakeholders Forum has produced guidance for landowners, managers and members of the public.

Environment agency web site has an informative section on fly tipping.