© 2025 Clean Devon | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | Admin login
Residents
As individuals we have the power and opportunity to significantly reducing litter and fly tipping in Devon through some simple steps.
When out and about
Always have a plastic bag with you when out and about so you have somewhere secure to keep your rubbish. You could also pick up other rubbish if you adopt the idea of always leaving places cleaner than when you arrived. If we all did this, Devon would be returned to its natural litter-free beauty very quickly. If you take two bags you could use one for recycling, such as plastic bottles and cans.
If you have rubbish and there is no bin, or the bins are full. You should always take it with you until you find another bin, or take it home. Leaving rubbish next to bins is classed as littering, and often attracts scavengers who will spread the rubbish far and wide.
Dog fouling should always be bagged and binned in any environment.
If you have left-over food, or fruit peel, this should also be taken with you as this attracts scavengers, and can make wildlife and livestock ill.
The golden rule to follow is ‘if you bring it, take it with you’
See the Countryside Code, (or the Shaun the Sheep code..)
See our litter and fly tipping FAQs for more information.
When at home
This is where we have real power to reduce our rubbish, litter and fly tipping.
Reducing (what we buy), Reusing (what we no longer want) and Recycling (to keep our resources working) is the best approach for our finances and planet. See Recycle Devon for practical ways to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle which is an excellent starting point.
See this general guide for householders (Gov.uk)
When you put your rubbish out for collection, it must follow the collection rules set by your local council. This means, not putting containers out too early, or putting items out which are not collected, such as extra rubbish. Make sure containers are secure against weather and scavengers. Householders are responsible for their household rubbish until it is collected by the Council (or other approved collector), so if it blows around, the householder must clear it up. Avoid this hassle, and secure your rubbish and recycling containers.
If you are planning to get someone to do work at your property, the trader is responsible for taking any rubbish they create with them, so always check before you employ them that they are a registered waste carrier (Gov.uk) and note where they say your rubbish is being taken. For further information see the Waste Duty of Care (Gov.uk).
If you have a skip, you are responsible for that rubbish, even if you have employed a trader (such as a builder) to do the work. Ask them to net the skip, and respond if storms are forecast to prevent the escape of rubbish.
Avoid being the victim of a scam (Trading Standards), and never employ a cold caller or respond to an advert for home improvement or rubbish removal services through your door or on social media (Gov.uk) if you can’t confirm they are legitimate. If you employ someone to take your rubbish away, (1) check they are licenced (Gov.uk), (2) record where they are taking the rubbish and the vehicle details, (3) don’t pay cash and ask for a receipt. The golden rule is, ‘if you can’t check their details, don’t use them’. Remember, if your rubbish is fly tipped, you get the fine.
If you are having a clear out, most household rubbish can be taken to your local Recycling Centre for no charge (paid through Council Tax), but check before you visit (Devon, Plymouth or Torbay) because some restrictions and charges do apply.
If you are unable to transport bulky items you could arrange a bulky household waste collection from your local council.
If you transport someone else’s rubbish, you will need a licence. See the Waste Duty of Care for more details.
Businesses
Environmental regulations state that every business or establishment that produces or manages waste has the responsibility for managing it properly. If you do not do so for any reason your establishment or business is at risk of prosecution with the possibility of a fine if found guilty in court. If you want to check whether you are doing the right thing or you don’t know what to do to fully comply with your Duty of Care obligations, go to www.rightwasterightplace.com. Once your business is registered, your details will be available for customers to check via the Environment Agency register. Advice is always to check and avoid businesses who are not registered.
As a business you might also like to join the join the Trading Standards approved “Buy with confidence” scheme. To find a Buy With Confidence business near to you, search https://www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk/
Buy With Confidence is the business approval scheme operated by Trading Standards. It enables its members to promote the fact that they believe in and deliver excellent customer service. Membership involves Trading Standards vetting and monitoring, to assure the public that they are trustworthy, honest and reliable traders that can help to steer people away from those that give legitimate businesses a bad name. By joining Buy With Confidence, waste hauliers can show the public that as well as being registered to carry waste, they are legitimate traders that comply with the other legislation relevant to their business and provide excellent customer service. Using a Buy With Confidence member to take your waste away to an official waste processing facility can help to remove the scourge of fly tipping from our communities.
Landowners
If you manage waste on your land it is likely you will need an environmental permit. Visit Check if you need an environmental permit (www.gov.uk) to find out more. Equally, if you pay someone to manage your waste, they will also need a permit which you can check via the Public Registers.
Whilst landowners are vulnerable to waste crime, the following advice will help reduce the likelihood of incidents occurring, and if they do, will enable you to report the activity to the right authority. This will help agencies work together to support enforcement and intelligence gathering.
Devon & Cornwall Police provide some useful guidance for landowners to reduce the likelihood of being a victim of rural waste crime, and where to report problems if they do occur.
This Environment Agency blog shows how the agency is also working with landowners to prevent waste crime.
General information for Farmers and Landowners relating to managing waste within the law can be found on the right waste, right place and National Farmers Union websites.
Prevention
The National Fly Tipping Prevention Group have some practical fly tipping prevention advice for landowners.
If you let land or premises to tenants, see the handy Environment Agency Property and Landowners – how to avoid waste criminals checklist and NFU ‘waste scam‘ press release.
You can also check to see if a site is permitted for that activity using the Public Registers.
The following Environment Agency checklist is a useful guide for highlighting the sort of suspicious behaviour which should be reported.
- Significant Illegal waste deposits over 20 tonnes (i.e. a lorry load) being buried or burned
- Drastic increases in waste stored on sites over a short period of time, particularly tyres, wood and baled waste
- Suspected illegal waste sites and those operating without the correct permits
- Persistent offenders, organised crime groups and hostile sites
- Signs of modern slavery on waste sites, such as staff unable to speak English, fear of authority and evidence of staff living on site
- Waste carriers, brokers and dealers that don’t have a registration
- Scrap metal dealers making cash payments indicating money laundering and involvement in stolen metal
- People offering cash to temporarily store waste materials
- Operators of concern involved in exporting waste in containers
- Indications of mixed waste being sold off as inert material in order to avoid landfill tax of approximately £100 per tonne
Reporting
It is important to report waste crime so that enforcement agencies can jointly target this activity.
If you suspect waste crime, including large scale fly tipping, you can contact the Environment Agency on their Incident Hotline (0800 80 70 60), or provide information anonymously through Crime Stoppers (0800 555 111).
For smaller scale fly tipping incidents, please report to your local authority.
Fly tipped waste on private land is the landowner’s responsibility, however if the offender is caught costs may be recoverable and the landowner reimbursed. Whilst the local authority will not collect the waste without charge, reporting will assist with intelligence gathering (including National reporting) and potential enforcement and prosecution.
If you discover fly tipping on your land, it is important to deal with it quickly to avoid more waste being added.
If you need to transport fly tipped waste yourself you will need to comply with the Duty of Care obligations (see Businesses). If you use a contractor to will need to Check who you pay to take your rubbish away.
It is illegal to bury or burn waste on your land.
Further advice for landowners is available from: