Neighbourhood Services

Cleansing Services

Street Cleaning

Fly-Tipping


What do I do if I see someone fly-tipping?
Dumping rubbish is illegal, if you see it happening report it. If you make a report the rubbish can be removed and the crime investigated.

You will need to know a date, time and place of occurrence. You will also be asked what the waste looks like and how much there is. If you are able to give a description of any vehicles involved that would also be a great help.

Some waste can be hazardous, so do not touch anything or open any bags.

Report the fly-tipping by contacting Cleansing Services or the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on the national hotline number 0800 807060.

What is Fly-Tipping?
Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of any waste onto land i.e. waste dumped or tipped on a site with no license to accept waste. Fly tipped waste generally consists of large items of rubbish that are illegally dumped on land instead of being disposed of properly at a landfill site or tip.

Anyone fly-tipping waste is committing a serious offence.

Why do people Fly-Tip?
The majority of people fly-tip their waste through laziness, ignorance or to avoid paying the charge (called landfill tax) that everyone should pay in order for their waste to be disposed of properly.

These people's actions can damage watercourses and may be hazardous to the public.
Cleaning up fly-tipping costs taxpayers' money.

What laws are there surrounding fly-tipping?
Fly-tipping is illegal and therefore anyone caught doing so can be prosecuted. In Scotland the main legislation is the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA 1990), Sections 33, 34 and 59.

Fines are up to £20,000 and/or six months' imprisonment. Fines are unlimited if the case goes to the Crown Court, and up to two years' imprisonment, and up to five years if hazardous waste is dumped. Where fly-tipping involves the use of a vehicle, the driver can be prosecuted, as can the owner of the vehicle. The police have powers to seize vehicles used for fly-tipping.