Fly-tipping is the scourge of many local communities, causing a whole host of environmental and potential health issues, as well as being an eyesore. 

With the support of many local authorities, the UK government has recently announced new rules and punishments to help deal with the issue.    

At RF Recycling, we understand just how disruptive, unpleasant and distressing fly-tipping incidents can be, and have put together this blog, where we’ll take a closer look at the government’s tougher rules and the consequences for those who get caught. 

What is fly-tipping?

Before we delve into the new rules that the government has introduced, let’s look at what fly-tipping is more precisely.

In short, fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of waste on land that has not got a licence, or agreed, to accept it. This waste can take many forms, and as well as being both solid and liquid, it can come from domestic or commercial properties. 

In addition to being unpleasant and bad for the environment, fly-tipping is illegal, and anyone caught doing it faces serious consequences.

Read on to find out more.  

What happens if you get caught fly-tipping?

Those who get caught fly-tipping should be aware that the consequences are severe. 

And in March 2023, the government announced that the ramifications had just gotten even tougher. This followed a joint letter by five police and crime commissioners (PCCs) in the southwest of England to Environment Minister, Therese Coffey, calling for greater punishments.

The government has responded by confirming that on-the-spot fines for fly-tipping will be increasing from £400 to £1,000. This is part of a greater crackdown on anti-social behaviour in England, with littering and graffiti fines increasing to £500 with local councils being encouraged to take a tougher stance on these types of incidents.    

As well as the on-the-spot fines, if fly-tippers are prosecuted and taken to court over the offence, they could face unlimited additional fines and even prison time.  

Leading skip hire services 

As mentioned above, fly-tipping can have huge negative impacts on local communities, the environment and natural ecosystems. With all this considered, it’s no wonder that the UK government has introduced bigger fines to deal with the issue, especially as it looks to meet its pledge of eradicating waste crime by 2043. 

If you have large amounts of household or commercial waste that you’re looking to dispose of, you should never consider fly-tipping. Instead, get in touch with a local skip hire firm that can responsibly and sustainably remove your waste. 

The team at RF Recycling Group operates throughout Bournemouth, Salisbury and Ringwood, providing leading skip hire services to both domestic and commercial customers. We supply our customers with skips of all shapes and sizes, and once you’ve filled it with your waste, we’ll be on hand to take the skip away to then recycle the waste at our dedicated recycling centres, giving you peace of mind that it’s being responsibly dealt with. 

For more information or to order a skip, get in touch with RF Recycling today.