Blaby Council Launches 'Fight Fly-Tipping Fortnight'
Campaign aims to raise awareness of illegal waste dumping and rogue traders operating in the district.
By Aisha Mahmood
••3 min read
AI
Generic image of a red-brick industrial building with a chimney emitting smoke against an overcast sky.
Blaby District Council is running 'Fight Fly-Tipping Fortnight' until 25 October, urging residents to be wary of illegal waste traders and highlighting the costs of fly-tipping.
Blaby District Council is collaborating with Keep Britain Tidy for the 'Fight Fly-Tipping Fortnight' campaign, aiming to educate the public about unscrupulous scrap merchants. The initiative, running until 25 October, warns residents against criminal waste traders who use sophisticated online advertisements to appear legitimate before illegally disposing of the waste they are paid to remove.
Fly-tipping incurs significant clean-up costs for councils across England annually, diverting funds that could be allocated to vital local services. In the Blaby District, 410 fly-tipping incidents were cleared between January and the end of June 2026, costing local taxpayers over £31,433. Increased patrols will be conducted throughout the fortnight to deter and detect such activities.
Fly-tipping is an illegal act that can lead to fixed penalty notices or prosecution. The Council is empowered to issue fixed penalties of up to £500 for household waste fly-tipping and £800 for business waste fly-tipping. The campaign encourages individuals to protect themselves and their communities from falling victim to '#RubbishDeal' offers – low-cost, unlicensed services promoted by organised waste criminals through appealing social media advertisements.
The campaign outlines key steps for residents: requesting a waste carrier licence, verifying the licence number on the Environment Agency’s public register (accessible online or by phone at 0300 065 3000), and ensuring a receipt is provided. These simple checks can help prevent waste from being illegally dumped in public spaces.
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"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."
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"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."
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"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."
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"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."
Residents can report fly-tips via the Council's website. Keep Britain Tidy is a leading environmental charity focused on litter prevention, waste reduction, and promoting sustainable living through various campaigns and awards.
