Sheffield City Council has launched a new campaign, ‘Your Rubbish, Your Responsibility’ to raise awareness about responsible waste disposal and to reduce fly-tipping across the city.
Everyone should be able to live in great neighbourhoods that they are happy to call home, but all too often fly-tipping blights our landscape.
We are aware that there are criminals who illegally fly-tip and this is an issue that we will continue to tackle. Waste gets into their hands in different ways and through this campaign we are highlighting just how much residents can help us combat this.
“Statistics show that the incorrect disposal of household waste accounts for more than half of all fly-tipped waste both locally and nationally.
“Everyone has a legal duty to dispose of their waste correctly. This campaign highlights the options available, how to avoid unknowingly fly-tipping, and the consequences for those who break the rules.Councillor Joe Otten, Chair of the Environmental Services and Regulation Policy Committee
Many people who are interviewed after they have either deposited waste inappropriately at bring sites, by street litter bins or passed their waste to a third-party claim that they didn't realise that they had committed an offence at all. This work is designed to make sure that everyone knows the difference between correct and incorrect disposal of waste.
The evidence shows that most people think of fly-tipping as a rogue operator dumping a lot of waste on a country lane, in a watercourse or in a farmer's field but that accounts for a much smaller percentage of overall fly tipping. Those offenders most likely know that what they are doing is unacceptable and unlawful.
The campaign is our way of informing and supporting people as much as possible. It is important residents are aware that they have a legal ‘duty of care’ to dispose of their waste correctly. Anyone who offers to dispose of waste for a fee should be an authorised waste carrier and it’s the responsibility of householders to carry out all checks that we outline. If waste is taken from your house by an unauthorised waste carrier and then fly-tipped, you can be liable and given a fixed penalty notice or even prosecuted.
The same waste carrier authority checks apply to scrap metal collectors and items of scrap should not be placed outside your property in the hope that a scrap collector is passing by. We are asking residents to do the right checks to help us eliminate this type of activity and protect our environment.
Councillor Joe Otten
The campaign supports the Council’s Sheffield Fly Tipping Reduction Strategy 2025-2026– together we reduce fly-tipping, and whilst the figures show that fly-tipping in Sheffield has reduced from 12,366 incidents per year in 2021/22 to 11,387 in 2022/23, many cases still stem from residents unknowingly using illegal waste carriers.
Key advice for residents is to:
- check that waste carriers are registered (look for a CBDL or CBDU number
- verify registration on the Environment Agency’s public register
- pay by card and request a receipt
- ask where your waste is going and how it will be disposed of
- note the registration of the vehicle being used to transport your waste
- report fly-tipping if you see it taking place
Fly-tipping is anti-social, costly, and harmful to the environment. Whether it’s dumping bags by bins or using unlicensed collectors, it’s still illegal and it affects everyone. We want to help residents avoid fines by making the right choices.
Councillor Otten
Council waste services provide residents with:
- Blue and black bin collections
- Five free household waste recycling centres
- Chargeable green bin and bulky waste collections (up to twelve items can be collected)
Residents are reminded that fly-tipping includes:
- putting white goods or scrap metal out for collection on the street. All scrap collections should be arranged with an authorised collector
- leaving extra bags next to domestic bins
- misusing recycling points
- placing unwanted but useable items free for collection on the street. Instead, these can be placed outside within the boundary of a property, donated to friends and neighbours, given to a charity organisation, or advertised as available for collection
Residents are urged not to touch or move fly-tipped waste, as it may be hazardous or contain evidence.
Report:
• Fly-tipping: www.sheffield.gov.uk or call 0114 2734567
• Illegal waste carriers to the Environment Agency