News

Fly Tipping

The dumping of waste (fly tipping) and dropping of litter is illegal and both are punishable by a fine. Mendip District Council is responsible for sweeping the streets and removing litter. The Council does not clear dumped rubbish or litter from private land, this is the responsibility of the landowner/tenant.

Your legal duty of care

Every individual and business has a duty of care over their waste, even after it has left your home or premises, and failure to take reasonable steps to do this risks prosecution and a fine.

If you or your business pay someone to take your waste away - whether by man-with-a-van, builder, gardener or other tradesperson - it is important to check if they have a waste carrier's licence. Ask to see the licence, and ensure you check where your waste will go. You can also go online to see if they are registered with the Environment Agency (call the agency on 03708 506 506).

What you can do

All homes receive regular waste and recycling collecitons and have access to bulky waste collections and a network of recycling sites throughout the county. There are also many options to allow waste to be reused and other alternatives for bulky waste collections.

All businesses are responsible for making their own arrangements to recycle or dispose of their waste and there are many companies providing these services.

Reporting it

Please use the online form to report dumped waste ( www.mendip.gov.uk/streetclean) or alternatively call 0300 303 8588 to make a report. Please note the Council does not clear dumped rubbish or litter from private land, this is the responsibility of the landowner/tenant.

We must have the following information to be able to investigate the report:

• Contact information in case we are unable to locate the dumped waste

• Location e.g. town or village and a road name

• Brief directions of how to find it

• Type of waste e.g. general litter, fly-tipping such as a fridge, sofa cushions etc

• Approximate amount of waste e.g. car boot, small van or transit van

• Is it hazardous waste e.g. chemical drums or asbestos (these will be collected by a specialist team)

If you have witnessed the illegal dumping of waste, do not disturb the site, there may be evidence that could help identify the culprits and lead to their prosecution. Please provide the following additional information:

• vehicle registration

• brief description of the vehicle/s seen fly-tipping

• brief description of the person/people seen fly-tipping

• photographic evidence if possible of the above

If you find dangerous litter, such as an empty syringe, dog fouling, or a major spillage on a public road, please report it to us.

Fly tipping is on the increase, it needs to be reported every time so that a central record can be kept of the worst areas - Please report it!