Fight fly-tipping this October
Blaby District Council is teaming up with Keep Britain Tidy for Fight Fly-tipping Fortnight to raise awareness of rogue scrap merchants.
The campaign, running until 25 October, warns residents about criminal waste traders who use convincing, professional-looking online ads to pose as legitimate businesses - only to illegally dump the rubbish they are paid to take away.
Fly-tipping costs councils across England millions of pounds every year in clean-up costs - draining money that could otherwise be spent on essential local services.
In Blaby District 410 incidents were cleared from January to the end of June 2026, costing local taxpayers more than £31,433.
Extra patrols will take place this Fight Fly-tipping Fortnight to both deter and detect any activity.
Fly-tipping is illegal and can result in fixed penalty notices or prosecution. The Council can issue fixed penalties of up to £500 for household waste fly-tipping and £800 for business waste fly-tipping.
The Fight Fly-tipping Fortnight campaign calls on people across the District to protect themselves and their communities from falling for a #RubbishDeal - low-cost, unlicensed services offered using appealing ads on social media by organised waste criminals.
It highlights what to look out for and the simple checks that can be made before handing over rubbish to avoid it being illegally dumped on streets, fields and public spaces.
There are three main things to do:
- Ask for a waste carrier licence
- Check the number on the Environment Agency’s public register at https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers or call 0300 065 3000
- Check you’ll get a receipt
Councillor Mike Shirley, Blaby District Council Portfolio Holder for Environment, said: "Fly-tipping is a blight on our communities - but we can all help to prevent it. No one wants to think the person or firm they have paid to take away an old sofa, mattress or pile of household rubbish could simply dump it somewhere else in their community. You pay your money in good faith and put your trust in that merchant - but that is exactly what these rogue waste traders rely on.
"The issue is if the dumped rubbish can be traced back to you then you are also liable for prosecution, even if you weren't aware the items were fly-tipped. You can avoid this and be confident you are dealing with genuine traders by asking to see their waste carrier licence, check it on the Environment Agency register and get a receipt. It only takes a few minutes and can help protect you, your community and the local environment from fly-tipping."
Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Chief Executive Officer at Keep Britain Tidy, said "Local authorities see first-hand the damage fly-tipping causes, working every day to clear illegally dumped waste and protect the places their communities value. Tackling the problem places huge demands on already stretched council teams, which is why we’re so pleased to have Blaby District Council supporting Fight Fly-tipping Fortnight this year.
"The difficulty with rogue waste traders is they can be surprisingly hard to spot. A convincing advert, good reviews and a cheap price can make an illegal operator look like a legitimate business. Our message is simple: don’t fall for a #RubbishDeal. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is."
You can report fly-tips here: Report fly-tipping
Notes to Editors
About Keep Britain Tidy
Keep Britain Tidy is a leading environmental charity. We set the standard for the management of parks and beaches, inspire people to be litter-free, to waste less and live more sustainably. We run campaigns and programmes including the Great British Spring Clean, Love Parks Week, Buy Nothing New Month, Eco-Schools, the Green Flag Award for parks and green spaces and the Blue Flag/ Seaside Awards for beaches. To find out more about Keep Britain Tidy, our campaigns and programmes visit www.keepbritaintidy.org.
Councillor Mike Shirley
Portfolio Holder for Environment