Sefton Council is teaming up with Keep Britain Tidy for ‘Fight Fly-Tipping Fortnight’, a new campaign to crack down on rogue ‘white van’ operators. 

Protect residents and communities

It is aimed to protect residents and their communities from the growing scourge of waste crime. 

For the campaign’s national launch, Sefton’s robust approach to tackling fly-tipping, including cameras and extra resources to catch culprits, has featured on national TV and radio. 

Millions in clean-up costs

Fly-tipping is costing councils across England millions of pounds every year in clean-up costs - draining money that could otherwise be spent on essential local services. 

Cost in Sefton

In Sefton, the council cleared up over 3,500 incidents in the past year, costing local taxpayers more than £366,000. This could pay for new playground equipment, more frequent park maintenance to improve the Borough’s environment and appeal for residents.  

Shine a spotlight on rogue operators

The campaign calls on people in Sefton to protect themselves and their communities from falling for a #RubbishDeal – low-cost, unlicensed services offered on social media by organised waste criminals. Fight Fly-tipping Fortnight aims to shine a spotlight on rogue operators, who lure people in with cheap deals, only to illegally dump household waste on streets, fields and public spaces.  

Sefton Council is supporting Fight Fly-tipping Fortnight with a local campaign, calling on households to take three simple steps to avoid a #RubbishDeal:  

1. Ask for a waste carrier registration number  

2. Check it on the Environment Agency’s public register at https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers or call 0300 065 3000 

3. Check you’ll get a receipt  

Devastating impact

Peter Harvey, Cabinet Member for Cleansing and Street Scene said:
“Fly-tipping is a national issue which has a devastating impact in Sefton and is a deep source of frustration.  

“Fly-tipping blights our communities and countryside – from mattresses, sofas, fridges and other waste in rural lanes to bags of household rubbish piled in alleys and on pavements. 

“It costs taxpayers thousands in clear-up costs – money that could otherwise be spent on other priorities to improve the lives of our residents. 

“Our staff work tirelessly to tackle the problem, but we need our community’s help to stop it at the source. We’re asking people to think of check who they pay to take rubbish away. If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is – and sadly it’s our residents and communities who ultimately pay the price.”  

Frontline of the fight against fly-tipping

Dr. Anna Scott, Director of Services at Keep Britain Tidy, said:
“Councils are on the frontline of the fight against fly-tipping, responding day in, day out to clear dumped waste and keep our public spaces safe and clean. We know how much pressure this puts on already stretched local teams and we’re incredibly grateful to Sefton Council for joining forces with us for Fight Fly-tipping Fortnight.  

“This campaign is about empowering residents to play their part in tackling this growing issue. By making simple checks before handing over waste and always getting a receipt, people can protect themselves from rogue traders, stop organised criminal networks in their tracks and help ensure public money is spent where it’s needed most.”  

Fight Fly-tipping Fortnight will run from 10th – 23rd November 2025, with local authorities across the country joining forces with Keep Britain Tidy to highlight the scale and impact of fly-tipping, educate residents on how to protect themselves and their communities.  

To report it

For more information, visit Fight Fly-Tipping Fortnight. To report fly–tipping incidents, visit Fly-Tipping to use My Services Portal.