Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of any waste on to land.
Fly-tipped waste generally consists of multiple items of waste that are illegally dumped instead of being disposed of properly at an authorised waste site such as council amenity site or landfill.
If you see someone illegally dumping rubbish you should report it so that we can investigate the crime, remove the waste from council land or bring it to the attention of private landowners.
Report fly-tipping
The more details you can provide, the more chance we have of catching and convicting offenders. It would be helpful if details reported included:
- date
- time
- place of the incident
- what has been dumped (as some waste can be hazardous, please do not touch anything, or open any bags – just give visual appraisal)
- description of any vehicles involved, including registration plate
- your contact details
Report fly-tipping
Penalties for fly-tipping
Anyone caught fly-tipping can be issued with a fixed penalty and/or prosecuted under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, Sections 33, 34 and 59.
Fines of up to £40,000 and/or six months imprisonment can be applied in court. Fines are unlimited if the case goes to the High Court, and offenders can get up to two years imprisonment, or 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 also have powers to seize vehicles used for fly-tipping.
Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN)
Authorised officers of East Ayrshire Council have the power to issue a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) charge as an alternative to prosecution for environmental offences such as fly-tipping waste.
Find out more about Fixed Penalty Notices for environmental crimes.