Sefton Council is backing Keep Britain Tidy's Fight Fly-Tipping Fortnight campaign by urging residents to avoid a #RubbishDeal and make sure anyone taking away their waste is licensed to do so.

Rogue traders dumping your rubbish

Unlicensed waste carriers often advertise cheap, professional-looking services, but can illegally dump rubbish, leaving householders at risk of fines and court action.

Investment and higher fines

The Council has invested an extra £1.5 million in cleaner streets and tripled the size of its Environmental Enforcement Team. Fly-tipping fines have also increased to a maximum of £1,000, with almost 100 Fixed Penalty Notices issued so far in 2026, nearly five times more than at the same point last year.

Fines issued has increased fivefold

Speaking on BBC Radio Merseyside, Cllr Peter Harvey, Cabinet Member for Cleansing and Street Scene, said:
"Fly-tipping is a major issue, not just in Sefton but across the country. However, the number of incidents in Sefton has fallen over the last year, reflecting the significant investment we've made in cleaner streets and stronger enforcement.

"In the last year alone, the number of fines and Fixed Penalty Notices issued by the council has increased fivefold, demonstrating just how seriously we're taking fly-tipping and the excellent work our investigators are doing to track down offenders."

Latest prosecution

Recent prosecutions in Bootle saw residents fined after failing to dispose of waste correctly and ignoring Fixed Penalty Notices, highlighting that householders have a legal responsibility to ensure their waste is handled properly.

In one case, fly-tipped waste was discovered in Grogan Square in Bootle, after local councillors were alerted by a resident.

Environmental Enforcement officers traced the waste to Lee McMullen, who admitted paying two men in a van £10 to remove it. He had failed to check whether they were legitimate waste carriers or held the required licence.

McMullen was issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice for breaching his Householder Duty of Care but failed to pay. After failing to attend court and later being arrested on a warrant, he pleaded guilty. He was ordered to pay over £600 and will now have a criminal record. 

The case serves as a reminder for residents to avoid a #RubbishDeal. Illegal waste operators often advertise cheap clearances on social media, only to dump the waste in streets, alleys, fields and other public spaces. 

Deals too good to be true

Cllr Harvey, continued:
"Residents need to be careful who they pay to remove their waste. If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. Rogue traders often present themselves as a quick and easy solution, offering to take away items such as an old fridge freezer for a small amount of money.

"But that waste could end up dumped in a field, a ditch or on the side of the road. We've seen this happen in Sefton. In the last few weeks, a resident paid just £10 to two men in a van to take away his rubbish. The waste was later fly tipped in Bootle, and our enforcement team were able to trace it back to him. What seemed like a bargain ended up costing him over £600."

You are responsible for your waste

If your waste is fly tipped, you are responsible. Householders have a legal duty of care to ensure their waste is passed to a licensed carrier.

In a separate case, officers carrying out a proactive search in Holly Street in Bootle, discovered three bags of waste left beside an alleyway. Evidence linked the waste to a resident on the street.

The resident admitted responsibility for the waste during an interview with enforcement officers. After ignoring a Fixed Penalty Notice, he appeared in court in September 2026, where he pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay.

Three steps to take

Residents can avoid a #RubbishDeal by following three simple steps:

• Ask for a waste carrier licence 

• Check the number 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) 

• Check you’ll get a receipt