The Council is collaborating with Keep Britain Tidy for the ‘Fight Fly-Tipping Fortnight’ campaign, aiming to educate residents about criminal waste traders who use deceptive online advertisements to appear legitimate before illegally dumping waste. This practice, known as fly-tipping, incurs significant clean-up costs for councils across England, diverting funds from essential local services.
The campaign highlights the dangers of accepting low-cost, unlicensed services offered by organised waste criminals, often advertised appealingly on social media. These rogue traders often mask their activities behind professional-looking adverts and fake reviews, making it difficult for consumers to distinguish them from legitimate operators. The ultimate destination of the rubbish remains unknown to those who hire them.
During Fight Fly-Tipping Fortnight, residents in North East Lincolnshire are being advised on how to identify and avoid such scams. Simple checks can help prevent waste from being illegally dumped in streets, fields, and public spaces. Households are encouraged to take three key steps: ask for a waste carrier licence, verify the licence number on the Environment Agency’s public register, and insist on a traceable payment method like a card, along with a proper receipt on headed paper.
For those needing to dispose of larger items, the Council offers a bulky waste collection scheme. More information and booking details are available on the NELC website.
Councillor Darren Mayne, Portfolio Holder for Waste, Recycling and Energy, stated, “Fly-tipping takes a real toll on communities like ours. In North East Lincolnshire, fly-tipping is damaging the places people live in and care about and leaving our teams to clear up the mess. Every fly-tip also comes at a cost to the service and ultimately the tax payer too. That’s why stopping waste from being dumped in the first place matters so much.” He added that while council teams work hard, community help is crucial to stop the problem at its source.
Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Chief Executive Officer at Keep Britain Tidy, commented, “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 North East Lincolnshire supporting Fight Fly-Tipping Fortnight this year.” She emphasised that rogue traders exploit trust, leaving communities and councils to deal with the consequences of illegally dumped waste.
The campaign, running from 12th – 25th October 2026, sees local authorities nationwide collaborating with Keep Britain Tidy to highlight the impact of fly-tipping and educate residents. Further information and reporting options are available on the NELC website.
