The Ongoing Problem of Fly Tipping

A third of garages, tyre dealers and tyre repairers have had old tyres illegally fly-tipped at their site, according to a new survey published by the Environment Agency. Around 10 per cent said that it happened on a regular basis. The survey questioned 225 randomly selected garages and tyre firms about their knowledge and experience of tyre disposal. According to the Agency, fly tipping is usually carried out by cheap, unregistered companies that are operating illegally. Illegal disposal costs the industry, local authorities, the Environment Agency and landowners around £2.5 million a year, the report added.

Garage owners’ understanding of duty of care requirements was perhaps more alarming. Although an impressive 90 per cent of those questioned said they were aware of the legal requirements placed on them, 44 per cent could not name any of the elements of the duty of care. And only half were aware that they could be fined an unlimited amount.

Under the duty of care requirements, anyone disposing of tyres needs to make sure that they take all reasonable steps to ensure their safe storage and disposal and that they should only be transported by a waste carrier that has registered with the Environment Agency.

Ralph Crouch, Construction & Tyres programme manager at the Environment Agency said: “Fly-tipping of tyres causes no end of problems for the environment, misery for local communities and costs the taxpayer and landowners a lot of money. On top of that, this survey confirms what we have thought for some time, that legitimate tyre disposal companies are paying to get rid of tyres dumped on them by unscrupulous fly-tippers.

“That’s why its very important that people, garages or companies looking to dispose of tyres makes sure that anyone they contract to do it for them is registered to do so. Not least because anyone failing to do so is breaching the duty of care requirements and could find themselves on the receiving end of a hefty fine.”

According to the Environment Agency, the UK discards around 50 million used tyres a year, approximately 134,000 worn tyres every day.

Anyone can check whether a company is a registered waste carrier by calling the Environment Agency on 08708 506 506.