How we can S.C.R.A.P. fly-tipping in Bucks

The best way to stop organised fly-tipping is to make sure that only authorised waste carriers take your waste.

You could face prosecution and an unlimited fine if your waste ends up fly-tipped by someone else.

You can view our latest briefing note about fly-tipping trends including:

• how we deter fly-tipping
• our efforts to prosecute offenders

Read our latest fly-tipping briefing note (PDF, 1.08 MB).

You can also review the national study conducted by the Waste and Resources Action Programme on the relationship between fly-tipping rates and charges at Household Recycling Centres.

Your household waste must be disposed of correctly.

If you’re giving it to someone else, you must make sure that they’re legally allowed to take it. You could be fined if you give your household waste to someone who is not legally allowed to take it.

Most of your usual household rubbish can go in the bins provided by the council.

You can check what your local council collects and how to order bins on GOV.UK.

For rubbish that you cannot put in the bins, you can:

• arrange a special collection for large waste items (for example, an old mattresses or fridge) 
• dispose of garden waste through Buckinghamshire council
• take your waste to the local household recycling centre
• take your waste to a permitted private waste site
• use a registered private business that provides a waste collection service - for example, a skip company or household clearance service, and follow the SCRAP code
• give old electrical items to retailers when you buy new electrical items from them with the same function - for example, you can give a shop your old kettle when you buy a new one
• give away or sell reusable items - for example, by giving items to a charity shop

If you hire a tradesperson for construction or renovation work, any waste they produce is classed as business waste.

Your tradesperson is responsible for removing the waste and disposing of it correctly. They can check what they need to do on GOV.UK.

If you do use a tradesperson, always follow the S.C.R.A.P. code.

S - Suspect all waste carriers; do not let them take your waste until they have proven themselves to be legitimate. A professional waste carrier should happily answer reasonable questions. 

C - Check that a waste carrier is registered on the Environment Agency's website.

R - Refuse any unexpected offers to have your rubbish taken away. If you suspect that someone who you have spoken to will be disposing of waste illegally, report them to the Environment Agency.

A - Ask what will happen to your rubbish and seek evidence that it is going to be disposed of appropriately. 

P - Paperwork must be obtained: a proper invoice, waste transfer note or receipt (including a description of the waste being removed) and the waste carriers' contact details.

You can find legal waste carriers:

• online
• through adverts
• on the Environment Agency website (or by calling them on 03708 506 506)

Ensure you use the S.C.R.A.P. code to help avoid your waste being dumped illegally.

It is your responsibility (under the waste duty of care) to ensure that any waste you produce at work is safely and correctly handled.

Some types of waste will need special treatment if it is hazardous, for example asbestos.

Your site waste remains your responsibility even if it’s dumped by someone you pass it to for disposal. This could result in you being fined up to £50,000 or facing jail.

The best way to handle your site waste is to minimise the amount you have in the first place.

Be careful to buy only the materials you need and reuse were possible.

Then follow these steps (written for the construction industry) to enable you to remove your site waste correctly, safely, and legally:

The Environment Agency is responsible for dealing with large scale waste crime. This is waste that looks like more than a lorry-load.

You could be witnessing waste crime if you see:

• increased numbers of lorries entering a site
• a drastic increase in waste being stored on sites in a short period of time
• activity happening on site at unusual hours
• waste going in but not coming out
• smoke
• water pollution
• machinery operating (for example excavators)
• dust, noise and increased site work

Waste crime is dealt with in accordance with the size, scale, environmental impact and who’s involved.

You can report waste crime (including anyone you think may be involved) completely anonymously. Report this to our partners, Crimestoppers:

• report waste crime online
• call 111

Local councils are responsible for dealing with small scale waste crimes, for example fly-tipping.

They also have powers to:

• fine unregistered waste carriers
• investigate and deal with statutory nuisance and waste issues (including someone burning waste in their garden)
• noise and dust nuisance from waste activities.

You can report small scale waste on the Council's website.

In addition, local councils share responsibility with the Environment Agency for some medium scale waste crimes, for example illegal dumping, disposal, treatment and burning.

Any waste that comes from a commercial activity is business waste. If you use part of your home to run your business then any waste from that is business waste.

Business waste also includes any waste that comes from construction, demolition, industry or agriculture.

As a business responsible for all waste you produce, you must:

• keep waste to a minimum by doing everything you reasonably can to prevent, reuse, recycle or recover waste (in that order)
• sort and store waste safely and securely
• complete a waste transfer note for each load of waste that leaves your premises
• check if your waste carrier is registered to dispose of waste
• not allow the waste carrier to dispose of your waste illegally (and report them to Crimestoppers if they do)

You have extra responsibilities if you’re dealing with hazardous waste.

If you give your waste to someone who cannot legally take it and you did not make the necessary checks on them, you might:

• have to pay a ‘fixed penalty notice’ to your local council
• be prosecuted and have to pay a higher penalty (for example, if you do not pay your penalty notice on time or if you’ve previously had a penalty notice for a similar offence)

This could happen if something that has been fly-tipped (dumped illegally) is identified as yours.

You can read more on the Right Waste, Right Place website.