This Fight Fly-tipping Fortnight, residents are being urged to protect themselves and their communities against rogue waste collectors, who leave residents vulnerable to £1,000 fly-tipping fines and harm the local environment.
This warning comes as the council continues to increase efforts to investigate all fly-tipped waste as part of our Getting Things Done drive. In one recent case, household waste was found fly-tipped on a public highway in Abbey Wood, and information was traced backed to a householder outside the borough.
The householder believed their waste was collected by a legitimate collector. As there were no photographs, vehicle registration details or other identifying information, officers were unable to trace those responsible for collecting and dumping the waste.
Householders have a legal duty of care to take reasonable steps to ensure their waste is passed to an authorised person. Following an investigation into the circumstances, the council issued the householder a £1,000 fixed penalty notice (FPN) for failing to comply with their household waste duty of care.
Cabinet Member for Transport, Climate Change, Waste and Streets, Councillor Calum O’Byrne Mulligan, said:
“Rogue operators can appear professional and trustworthy, but all too often they pocket the money and illegally dump the waste, harming our environment and leaving residents to face the consequences.
“We are asking residents to take precautions before booking a private waste collection: check their license, record their information, and verify their identity before handing over the waste.
“By making sure your waste is collected by authorised collectors, you can protect yourself and your local community. It also means that if your waste is found fly-tipped, having details of the collector, vehicle registration, and other collection information can provide vital evidence and enable us to take action against those responsible.”
Fight Fly-tipping Fortnight is a national awareness campaign run by Keep Britain Tidy and is taking place from 12 to 25 October 2026. This year, the campaign is highlighting the threat posed by rogue waste collectors who profit from residents before illegally dumping their waste, blighting neighbourhoods and leaving residents vulnerable to fines.
How to protect yourself against waste collection scams
Protect yourself, your community, and the local environment you live in with some simple tips below.
- Check that the person or company is registered as a waste carrier using the Environment Agency's public register.
- Take photos of the waste before it is collected by the waste carrier.
- If you are able to do so, take photos of the collection vehicle, including the registration number.
- Keep all booking confirmations, receipts, and proof of payment. If possible, avoid paying with cash so that there is an electronic proof of payment.
- Save any messages, emails or correspondence with the collector, including the company name and contact details of the person collecting the waste. Verify the name and company of the individual before you hand over the waste.
If you suspect something is not quite right or are being asked to make additional payments on the spot, you can refuse handing over your waste and refuse payment.
In the unfortunate event that your waste is found fly-tipped, this will provide valuable evidence for the council to locate the perpetrators.
To dispose of waste legally and easily please book a bulky waste collection on the council's website or take it to the Reuse and Recycling Centre. Council tenants get free bulky waste collections as it is part of service charge.