Fly-tipping - Your waste, your responsibility. | Recycle for Greater Manchester

What is fly tipping?

Fly tipping is the illegal dumping of items. If your waste is fly tipped, by you or by someone else on your behalf, you could face a £400 fixed penalty notice or an unlimited fine. You are fly tipping if you leave items:

- Beside street bins and recycling banks
- On the floor of communal bin areas
- Outside closed recycling centres and charity shops
- Anywhere that isn’t a registered waste facility or container

Your waste, your responsibility.

You have a legal duty of care to ensure your household waste is disposed of correctly. You can be prosecuted even if your waste is fly tipped by someone else on your behalf. If it’s your waste, it’s your responsibility. Always use a registered waste carrier to collect your waste. Find a registered waste carrier in your area on the Environment Agency’s website.

Hiring someone to remove your waste

Follow the S.C.R.A.P code before you hire someone to remove your waste:

Suspect all waste carriers. Don’t let them take your rubbish until they provide proof of registration. Note their vehicle’s registration plate.
Check that a waste carrier is registered on the Environment Agency’s website.
Refuse any unexpected offers to have your rubbish taken away.
Ask how your rubbish will be disposed of – seek evidence of this.
Paperwork must be obtained: a proper invoice, waste transfer note or receipt, including a description of the waste being removed and the waste carrier’s contact details.