Waste means unwanted or unusable items. Large amounts of waste may be a health risk, cause significant nuisance to neighbours (for example, causing odours and attracting flies), or provide food or shelter for rats.
Fly tipping or build-up of waste?
There are different ways to report a problem with waste, so you'll need to make sure you use the right one.
Fly tipping
Fly tipping is the deliberate dumping of waste. The waste is brought from elsewhere and abandoned, for example in an alleyway. It often includes rubbish from house renovations, like cupboards, sinks, lumps of brick, etc.
Fly tipping is usually done by companies which offer to take away people's rubbish but do not actually have a licence (called a waste carrier licence).
You can find out more and make a report about fly-tipped waste on the fly tipping page.
Build-up of waste
A build-up (or 'accumulation') of waste usually involves household rubbish, or noxious (harmful or foul-smelling) or decaying items like food or animal waste. For example, rubbish left on the ground instead of being put into a bin bag, or bin bags left in the garden instead of in the bin. The waste isn't cleared away in a reasonable time, and over time, the amount increases (an 'accumulation').
A build-up of waste happens outside the house of the person responsible for the waste, unlike with fly tipping, where waste is taken elsewhere and abandoned.
You can report a build-up of waste on this page.
When we'll take action
We have legal powers to deal with waste if it's a serious risk to public health or a serious nuisance. This might be because of the amount of waste, or the condition of the waste (for example, if it's particularly decayed, foul-smelling, or dangerous). 'Nuisance' is a word used in environmental law, and it means something which affects your use or enjoyment of your property. For example, if you're unable to sit in your garden because of the smell of decaying rubbish from a neighbouring garden.
We may also take action if there are items like mattresses or soft furnishings which rats could nest in. If they are not collected through normal means (for example, a bulky waste collection) and are left in the open, over time they may provide shelter for rats. These kinds of items should not be left outside unless the owner has arranged for them to be collected.
When we will not take action
If you're worried that waste might attract rats or might have a detrimental (harmful) effect, but it's not currently doing either of these things, then we wouldn't be able to investigate or take enforcement action.
It's important to understand that the owner or occupier of a property has the right to use their land however they want, as long as it doesn't cause severe detriment (harm or nuisance) to others or to the local area. We will not be able to take action unless there's evidence to prove that the waste is having a serious negative effect.
Reporting a build-up of waste
You can use Report It to report a build-up of waste which is having a detrimental (harmful) effect.
Please tell us as much as you can about the type of waste, its condition, how much there is, where it is, and why you're worried about it.