Fly-tipping and litter

If you have bulky items, such as furniture or appliances, you can contact us to arrange a special collection.

Hiring a third party to remove your waste

If you hire someone to take away your waste, you have a legal duty to take all reasonable measures to ensure that waste produced on your property is only transferred to an authorised person, eg someone with a valid registration as a carrier, broker or dealer of waste.

What you need to do

It is a legal requirement to do the following before having your waste removed:

• ask if the person or company taking the waste away is a registered carrier
• ask to see original copies of their Environment Agency waste carrier registration number and make a note of it
• make a note of the name of the collector and details of the vehicle registration number
• ask for a waste transfer note (receipt) including the name, address, contact details and registration details

You can also check their details with the Environment Agency by asking for an instant Waste Carrier Validation Check. You can do this either by calling 08708 50 65 06 or checking the Environment Agency's website.

You can also consult the Householders Duty of Care Section 34(2A) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 for more information on your duty of care.

Waste and scrap metal

If you need to dispose of waste or scrap metal, you should hire a scrap metal dealer to remove it. A scrap metal dealer must by law keep records, including the name and address of the previous owner of the metal. 

Do not leave waste or scrap metal on the street, verge or edge of your property for anyone to take away. If you do this you won’t know who takes it, what they'll do with it, or whether they're legally allowed to transport it. You should always make sure they collect it from you at the property itself.