Fly-tipping and other littering

Fly-tipping and littering covers a range of items that people might discard in a public place, from large appliances like fridges to drugs-related paraphernalia like needles and syringes. Find out more below, including what you can do to help clean up your community.

Common Types of Littering

General littering

General littering includes household rubbish, loose waste, packaging, bottles, cans and dog fouling in public places. These items create mess, attract pests and degrade the local environment.

Fly‑tipping

Fly‑tipping is the illegal dumping of large items or waste on public land, roadsides, alleyways or into rivers. Examples include furniture, appliances and construction waste. Fly‑tipping is a criminal offence and can lead to enforcement action.

Hazardous items

Hazardous waste includes needles, syringes, drugs paraphernalia and items used during sexual activity. These items pose serious health risks and should never be handled by the public. Councils have specialist teams trained to remove them safely.

Impact on the Community

Fly‑tipping and littering can:

• Create health hazards

• Attract vermin and pests

• Produce unpleasant smells

• Endanger children, pets and wildlife

• Damage community pride and appearance

If not removed quickly, the problem often spreads, leading to more dumping and a visibly deteriorating environment.

What You Can Do

Do not remove rubbish yourself, as there may be hidden sharp objects or hazardous materials.

If you witness general littering, report it to your local council, who will arrange safe removal.

If you witness fly‑tipping or hazardous waste:

• Take photographs if safe

• Report it online using your council’s reporting tool

• Provide location details and a description of the waste

Report It

Residents in Bedfordshire can report issues to:

• Luton Council

• Central Bedfordshire Council

• Bedford Borough Councilord Borough Council