Fly-tipping & littering

Introduction

Fly-tipping can be classed as anything from one bag of household rubbish to several van loads of construction material. If it is dumped on land that doesn’t have a licence to accept waste, it is fly-tipping and it is illegal.

As well as being illegal it makes our city look ugly and run down and also has wider economic, social and environmental impacts.

Fly-tipping has huge knock on effects on our local Fire & Rescue Service, Police, Council and organisations such as Cross Keys Homes.

On average Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service attend around 22 fires a month in Peterborough where fly-tipped waste has been deliberately set on fire.

How to report fly-tipping

You can report fly-tipping to us online or by calling 01733 747474.

The fly-tipped waste can then be removed and any additional information you have could help us to prosecute the person responsible.

When you report fly-tipping to us the following points may be useful:

  • Do not touch or remove any evidence found from the fly-tipping location e.g. addressed letters, as this could help us with prosecution
  • Please be as specific as you can when describing the location of the fly-tipping
  • If you see the incident occurring do not approach the people involved as this is for your own safety
  • If you see a person/vehicle involved in fly-tipping take as many details as you can e.g. description/picture of the person or vehicle registration number, again this will help us with any prosecutions

If the fly-tipping is on a public highway or public land we will investigate and arrange for the waste to be cleared. Once reported to us, Aragon Direct Services will aim for the fly-tip to be cleared within 48 hours or 24 hours when it is classed as hazardous. Unfortunately we cannot remove waste that is on privately owned land, as this is the landowner's responsibility.

Fly-tipping campaign

The Safer Peterborough Prevention and Enforcement Service has launched a new campaign to help prevent fly-tipping and encourage people to dispose of their waste responsibly.

The #LovePeterborough campaign focuses on prevention using better communication to educate people about where their waste should go, their duty of care requirements and letting people know the effects of fly-tipping.

Numerous events will be taking place across Peterborough linked to this campaign. 

To stay in touch with the campaign regular updates will be placed on this webpage and on our PES Twitter account @PeterboroughPES or Facebook page @PeterboroughPes.

Penalties for fly-tipping

We will always seek out and prosecute those that are responsible for dumping waste using our enforcement powers. Peterborough City Council can issue fixed penalty notices for fly-tipping however the courts can impose more serious action such as imprisonment, substantial fines of up to £50,000, orders to pay costs and orders to deprive rights to a vehicle used to commit the offence.

If you are asking a builder to remove your waste as part of a job, you should ensure that they are a registered waste carrier. Ask to see their certificate because if your waste is subsequently fly-tipped, you are liable.

Similarly, if you are the registered keeper of a vehicle used for fly tipping, you can be prosecuted. This means that it is possible for a prosecution to occur when only the vehicle, not the driver, is identifiable.

How you can dispose of your waste

If you are a resident in Peterborough you can arrange to have bulky waste items collected from your home, or there is a free small item collection service available. If you can transport the waste you can visit the Household Recycling Centre in Fengate which is free and there are also other free alternatives to get rid of your waste. There is no excuse to fly-tip in Peterborough.

If you are a business, you have a duty of care to dispose of your waste appropriately. Visit our Business Waste page for more information.