Information on why you should take waste to the tip instead of fly-tipping
Taking waste to the tip is cheaper than dumping it
Dumping waste is illegal. When we find it, or it is reported to us, we investigate who it belongs to and issue a Fixed Penalty Notice.
Fixed penalty notices of up to £300 can be issued both to householders or carriers who dump waste and to householders who pay unlicensed carriers to get rid of it for them. For serious or repeat offenders we may prosecute in court, where unlimited fines can be imposed.
The easiest way to avoid a fine is to take the waste to a tip, which is officially called a Household Waste Recycling Centre, or make sure that any person who takes rubbish for a fee is licensed.
This page gives more information on taking rubbish to the tip yourself and how to check if a waste carrier is licensed.
Taking rubbish to the tip yourself
If you have rubbish that can’t be put in a black, green, brown or food bin, it can almost always be taken to the tip.
Tips are run by the county council. They accept most waste and nearly all of it is free. There is a small charge for some types of waste. For a comprehensive list of what is accepted and any charges, look at the county council’s website page on types of waste accepted. It also tells you what to do with waste that isn’t accepted.
There are tips across west Norfolk, although you can take suitable waste to any tip. Visit the county council’s list of household waste recycling centres for a full list and map of what’s available in Norfolk.
Paying someone to take your waste
If you can’t get to the tip or the rubbish you have is too much to take yourself, you might choose to pay a waste carrier to take it. It’s really important to check that your carrier is licensed to do this.
Unlicensed carriers will usually charge a very low fee because they avoid paying charges to get rid of it properly by dumping it.
You can check if someone is licensed by remembering the #SCRAP advice:
- Suspect - is your waste carrier offering a price that seems very low?
- Check with the Environment Agency that the provider taking the waste away is licensed
- Refuse unexpected offers to have waste taken away
- Ask what will happen to the waste
- Paperwork should be available - get a full receipt
If you can show that you took these steps you won’t be fined, even if the waste does end up being dumped.