It is a criminal offence for anyone to drop litter in the open air or to dump waste in a public or private space not reserved for the purpose (like a council rubbish tip). If you see anyone fly tipping, call the police. Whilst littering is punishable by a fine imposed by a magistrates court, it is not always possible for the police to arrest everyone who drops a small amount of litter, but fixed penalty notices of £75 can be issued instead.
There are unlimited penalties for anyone caught fly tipping and it is no longer a defence for the person caught to claim they were doing so on the instruction of their employer.
The law requires local authorities and organisations to clear waste off their land, and also gives them powers to force other landowners to clear any litter on their land.
The Law
Section 33 (1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 makes it an offence to dump waste in a public or private space not reserved for the purpose.
The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 makes it an offence to drop litter anywhere in the open air.
Section 89 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 requires local authorities and certain other organisations such as Network Rail and the Highways Agency to clear litter from land and highways.
The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environmental Act 2005 gives local authorities powers to require businesses and individuals to clear any litter they create and any litter on the land they own.
Shopping trolleys
Abandoned shopping trolleys can be dealt with by informing the Environmental Health Office at the local council and asking them to remove them.
The Law
The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environmental Act 2005 allows local authorities to remove shopping trolleys and recover the cost of doing so from their owners.
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