Fly-tipping

Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of waste. We treat fly-tipping very seriously and we will investigate and prosecute anyone caught fly-tipping waste. We will organise for the removal of fly-tipping from public land. Smaller amounts of waste, less than a bin bag full, are dealt with as litter.

See litter to find out about making a street cleaning request.

Penalty notice and fine for fly-tipping

We can issue a £200 fixed penalty notice to anyone who we believe has fly-tipped. Prosecution for fly-tipping carries a fine of up to £95,000 (unlimited if taken through the Crown Court) or an offender can be sent to prison or have their vehicle seized.

What to do if you see fly-tipped waste

Report fly-tipping online straight away or contact Customer Services.

If you see someone fly-tipping

Record as much information as possible to help us find the person responsible. Details such as:

• Vehicle registration and description
• Description of the person or persons seen fly-tipping
• A photo, video or dashboard camera footage of the fly-tipping incident

NEVER touch the waste: fly-tipped waste can be dangerous - it may contain syringes, broken glass, asbestos, toxic chemicals or other hazardous substances.

NEVER disturb the site - we need to gather the evidence ourselves to help identify the fly-tippers and lead to their prosecution

NEVER approach anyone you see fly-tipping - they could become violent. If you witness it happening, call the police on 101.

Remember - Don't Put Yourself At Risk!

Fly-tipping on private land

You are responsible for securing your own land. We will not remove waste on private land, however we will investigate it for evidence and take enforcement action if we can. We receive several hundred reports of fly-tipping each year in Eden. They are mostly on public or council-owned land. Removal of waste is expensive, which is why we always try to identify those responsible.

When reporting fly-tipping please say if you believe the land is private and the name or address of the land owner if you know this information.

We close any reports of fly-tipping if the Environmental Enforcement Officers are unable to identify the owner of the land. Officers use local knowledge, notices and the land registry database to try to contact landowners, however in a rural area it is not always possible to identify someone.

Better ways of disposing of unwanted items

If someone can reuse an item:

Advertise on Freegle in Penrith and Eden District.

If you cannot reuse an item:

• The household waste recycling centres at Flusco and Kirkby Stephen will recycle or dispose of most items taken there.

• Find out about the bulky household waste collection, which will collect up to three large items of furniture for a set fee.

• Find out about the appliance collection, which will collect a large electrical item for a set fee.