Fly-tipping

Fly-tipping is when waste is dumped illegally. To qualify as fly-tipping there must be the equivalent of single bin bag of waste, or more. Less than this is littering. 

Report a fly-tip

We remove fly-tips on council-managed land (public highways, council-managed parks and housing estates).

Any information you provide will be treated with the strictest confidence.

We aim to remove:

• Small scale fly-tips (less than two cubic metres) within 24 hours of reporting
• Large scale fly-tips within 48 hours of reporting

These timescales only apply to highway land.

There may be a delay in clearing larger scale fly-tips if our enforcement officers need to investigate the waste before it can be removed.

Report now

You can also request an emergency clearance for dead animals, oil spillages, and broken glass.

Help us catch fly-tippers

If you witness someone fly-tipping you can help us identify the offender by providing us with information. If you are willing to provide a witness statement please email flytipwitness@wandsworth.gov.uk or call 020 8734 3032.

Witness statements should include as much of the following information as possible:

• The time, date and location of the fly-tip
• A vehicle registration number and description
• A description and/or names and addresses of the people involved
• Photographs and/or video footage

Do not put yourself or others at risk to get evidence about fly-tippers. Any information given will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Fly-tipping and the law

Fly-tipping is a criminal offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and those caught can be prosecuted and fined.

Our enforcement officers have the power to issue £400 on-the-spot Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) for small scale fly-tipping.

Large scale fly-tipping can be punished with a £50,000 fine, and/or a 12 month prison sentence. Offenders convicted of large scale fly-tipping in a Crown Court can face an unlimited fine, and/or a five year prison sentence.

Our enforcement officers also have the power to seize, impound, and destroy any vehicle used for fly-tipping. Both the driver and the owner of the vehicle can be prosecuted for the offence.

Fly-tips on private land

The responsibility for clearing waste on private land (which includes most shared alleyways, access roads, and garages) lies with the owner or occupier.

Private land owners seeking a fly-tip clearance service should contact a privately operating licensed waste carrier or contact us for a quote.

If you are a private landowner or occupier, you must also ensure that your land is as secure as is practically possible. Penalties for fly-tipping will apply if you allow someone to fly-tip on your land.

We may choose to investigate further if fly-tipping becomes a persistent problem on a plot of private land.

Disposing of waste responsibly

You should dispose of waste responsibly in one of the following ways.

Use a re-use and repair service

Re-use and recycling helps the environment by reducing waste and saving resources.

Any items you donate must be in good condition and should be easily re-usable, repairable, or recyclable.

Examples of items include:

• Furniture
• Large appliances
• Electrical equipment
• Bikes
• Prams, cots, toys
• Garden tools and equipment

Find re-use or collection services.

Book a bulky or DIY waste collection

We will collect:

• Household waste items that are too big for the bin (e.g. furniture and appliances)
• DIY waste (e.g. doors, skirting boards, or carpets)

Book a bulky waste collection.

Take waste to the tip

You can use our waste and recycling centre to dispose of:

• Household waste; or
• Small quantities of domestic DIY waste

Find your nearest waste and recycling centre.

Use a commercial waste collector

You can pay for commercial waste to be collected by a licensed waste carrier.

Although we can collect commercial waste, our charges are significantly higher than privately operating licensed waste carriers.

Avoiding rogue waste collectors

You should only use a licensed waste carrier to dispose of waste.

You can protect yourself against rogue waste collectors by following the SCRAP code:

• Suspect or be cautious of all waste carriers until they have provided their registration number
• Check that you are using a licensed waste carrier registered with the Environment Agency
• Refuse cold callers or unexpected offers to take your waste away
• Ask what will happen to your waste and seek evidence that it will be disposed of appropriately
• Paperwork must be obtained - such as a receipt, waste transfer note, or detailed invoice including a description of the waste being removed and the waste carrier’s contact information