What are the Most Common Littering Laws?
As a rule, DEFRA make the legislation on littering. They force district councils and local authorities to regulate the rules about littering.
Most councils are required to keep relevant land safe and clear of discarded garbage in their regions.
They also prosecute offenders with severe penalties and fines for breaching relevant sections of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
What is Litter Pollution?
The long term consequences of littering have a human impact on the environment and the catastrophic effect of litter problems cause serious environmental issues in a huge number of countries worldwide.
Most governments invest large sums of money trying to educate citizens about how to stop littering. Before litter degrades, it affects the quality of life for humans and animals, existing on land and in the oceans for long periods of time.
Basic Guide to Littering Laws
Dog Mess
Dog Poop
Local council fines for dog mess vary from £50 to £80. You can avoid an on-the-spot fine by knowing the current dog fouling law for picking up after your pet pooch.
Report Dog Fouling
Local councils must keep certain areas clear of dog mess. Even so, you can report a dog fouling problem if the poop is on public areas like pavements, parks, and playgrounds.
Note: You can report a litter problem to the council if you notice litter abandoned on the streets in your neighbourhood.
Dropping Litter
It is a criminal offence to knowingly drop items of rubbish or deposit garbage and trash inappropriately – or without consent.
The UK litter dropping laws prosecute and fine litterers who leave junk objects on the ground in public places or on isolated locations (e.g. open private land and national forests).
Environmental Offences
You must pay or challenge a fixed penalty notice (FPN) for committing an environmental offence. Typical examples include:
- Carrying out acts of graffiti (e.g. on public benches, bins, buildings, and monuments). You can report graffiti to the local council authority.
- Dropping litter (such as cigarette butts, chewing gum, or food waste).
- Fly-posting (e.g. putting up bills, posters, and stickers without having the permission to do so). You can report fly-posting to the local council or to the local police force in your area.
- Not cleaning up your dog’s mess.
The FPN from the local council or issuing authority (e.g. a national park) will state the offence – and how much you need to pay. In most cases, it will be an “on the spot” fine or they might send it through the post.
Fishing Waste
Lost or discarded fishing litter causes avoidable suffering for wildlife animals. Each year, thousands of birds and wild animals get hurt or die from fishing litter.
Note: Another section covers fishing rules and regulations in greater detail. Please take your fishing waste home with you.
Fly Tipping Rules
The illegal dumping (or abandoning) of waste litter is an offence penalized by district councils who are responsible for keeping relevant land clear and safe.
Furthermore, the fly tipping laws in the United Kingdom also apply to the highways, beaches, and inland waterways.
Waste Management
You can learn more about the ‘duty of care’ required during the disposal of business waste by reviewing your responsibilities for waste collection, licence permits, and how to use waste transfer notes.