Fly-Tipping: Duty of Care

If you are planning work to your property, you are legally responsible for what happens to any waste that is removed from your property as a result of that work. Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) will investigate all fly-tips reported to them and if evidence is found at the site of a fly-tip that leads back to the waste removed from your property, you will be fined and risk being prosecuted.

Seen a fly tip? Report it here.

Your Waste, Your Responsibility

Every householder, business and landowner, occupier or manager has a ‘duty of care’ to take all reasonable measures to ensure waste is removed from their property and disposed of in a responsible and legal manner.

This includes the waste removed by any contractors or trades person working on a range of tasks such as installing a new kitchen, upgrading a workspace or having work done in your garden.

If the contractor or trades person has agreed to remove the waste created from undertaking work at your property, you have a duty of care to ensure that person or company is a registered waste carrier. To check, visit the website or call 03708 506 506.

Should you not have an agreement with or not want the contractor or trades person to remove the waste from your property, there are a number of other options available:

  • Take the waste to either of Mole Valley’s recycling centres: Ranmore Road in Dorking or Randalls Road in Leatherhead. Check before you travel that the centres accept the waste you have. Surrey residents are  allowed to visit our Community Recycling Centres (CRCs) with DIY waste once a week with a limited free allowance. For more information, see the details of the free allowances.
  • If you have had work done to your garden, MVDC offers a fortnightly garden waste service which offers an easy and convenient way to recycle all year round
  • MVDC offers a collection service for bulky household items, including rubble and plasterboard
  • If you believe that the waste is reusable or could be fixed, contact the Surrey Reuse Network who can collect the items and re-condition them

If you suspect that a contractor or trades person is not disposing your waste in a responsible and legal manner, please call the Environment Agency hotline on 0800 80 70 60 or report it online by visiting the Crimestoppers website.

For information on reporting a suspected fly tip, please visit our page here.
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