Fly-tipping and litter

You can help keep Sheffield tidy by reporting general litter problems to us. You can also report the illegal dumping of waste (fly-tipping) on the highway, roads, lanes, verges and public rights of way.

Fly-tipping

Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of waste on land that does not have a licence to accept it. In simple terms, waste dumped anywhere that it shouldn’t be. Fly-tipping can range from a single bag of household rubbish to large quantities of household, commercial or industrial waste.

Why fly-tipping is a problem

Fly-tipping is a serious environmental and public health hazard. For example:

• it can harm wildlife, pollute waterways, create fire risks, and attract pests and vermin
• it spoils the appearance of neighbourhoods and open spaces and undermines the quality of life of local communities
• it costs taxpayers and landowners millions of pounds every year to clear up and dispose of properly

Legal consequences of fly-tipping

Fly-tipping is a criminal offence that can result in prosecution and heavy fines. It is a criminal offence not to take all reasonable measures available to you to meet your duty of care.

The following can result as a consequence of fly-tipping:

• the maximum penalty is an unlimited fine and/or up to five years imprisonment
• offenders can be issued with a fixed penalty notice of £400
• the courts can also order offenders to forfeit their vehicles or equipment used for fly-tipping, and to pay compensation to the landowner or the local authority