Five ways to fight fly-tipping


When bulky rubbish gets dumped down your street, it’s ugly, can be dangerous and is expensive to clear. Every call-out to remove old mattresses, fridges and furniture costs us in excess of £50 – and that’s money we could be spending on better services for you.

Here’s how you can help.

  1. Tell your local council if you see anyone dumping their junk in your neighbourhood. Every time they do, it’s costing you. Find out how you can do this on www.gov.uk/report-flytipping
  2. Never fly-tip yourself. Avoid a hefty fine by getting the council to take away your large items. Your local council offers each household a number of free collections a year. Search ‘bulky waste’ on their website.
  3. Sell or donate unwanted items to a charity shop or through online sites like www.freecycle.org, www.ilovefreegle.org, www.quakersocialaction.org.uk, www.recyclenow.com or www.ebay.co.uk.
  4. If you have suitable transport, you can take unwanted items to your local council’s Refuse and Recycling Centre. Run a search on their website to find out where the nearest is located.
  5. When you buy a new bed, washing machine or sofa, check whether the retailer will take away your old items. Many offer this as a free service.