There’s no excuse for fly-tipping – Council supports national fly-tipping campaign

While West Oxfordshire has less fly-tipping reports on an annual basis than the rest of the South East, fly-tipping remains an issue for local communities and landowners. Earlier in the year the Council invested in additional resources to tackle the issue. 

So far this financial year, 11 Fixed Penalty Notices have been issued which carry fines of up to £1000, as well as 107 investigations into illegally dumped waste completed and 31 warning letters issued.  

The Council has also been taking proactive steps to stop illegal dumping. This has included using cameras in known dumping hotspots to deter criminals, with one area in Eynsham seeing a 96% reduction in fly-tips following camera installation. The Council is also conducting ‘stop and search’ operations in partnership with other organisations, which are targeted at illegal waste carriers.  

Councillor Alistair Wray, Executive Member for Environment, said, “Fly-tipping is a blight on our communities. We make sure to clear fly-tips promptly once reported, but we are also taking meaningful action to prevent them before they occur. 

"We are using cameras to deter activity in known hotspots, proactively investigating tips, and taking action against offenders.  

“We are clear there is no excuse for fly-tipping. There are plenty of ways to get rid of waste legally and we would encourage residents to help us tackle those who would take advantage of people for profit or who would dump their waste into our countryside while ignoring the impact it has on our environment, wildlife, and the people living nearby.” 

All households have a ‘duty of care’ or legal responsibility to ensure their waste is disposed of correctly. This means if they pay someone to remove waste and it is later fly-tipped, they will be legally liable for that fly-tip and could face a fine. The Council is encouraging anyone who pays someone else to remove their rubbish to check that they are authorised to carry waste.  

Residents should ask a waste collector for their waste carrier registration number and check it against the Environment Agency's public register before handing over their rubbish. They should also keep a receipt or record of the transaction and ask where their waste will be taken. Any suspicious individuals or organisations can be reported to the Council for investigation. 

Anyone who spots a fly-tip in West Oxfordshire can report it to the Council. If they spot someone illegally dumping waste, they should not approach the individual but can report evidence to the Council, such as vehicle license plate numbers and make, model and colour of the vehicle. Residents should not touch or move dumped waste as it may be hazardous or contain evidence that can help an investigation.  

Information about legitimate ways to dispose of unwanted household waste is available through Oxfordshire County Council’s Waste Wizard tool.