Why responsible disposal matters
England recorded 1.26 million fly-tipping incidents in 2024/25 — up 9% on the previous year and the fifth consecutive annual increase. Clearing it cost councils £19.3 million, and that figure covers only reported cases on public land.
Source: DEFRA 2024/25 fly-tipping statistics, England
Fly-tipping is a criminal offence under Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Penalties range from a £400 Fixed Penalty Notice to an unlimited fine or imprisonment. The person who hired the carrier can also be prosecuted if they failed their Duty of Care.
Why a document, not just a photo
A photo alone proves nothing
A photograph can be taken anywhere — a car park, a field, a roadside. It confirms the waste was loaded, but it cannot confirm where it ended up. A photo alone is not evidence of legal disposal.
A Waste Transfer Note is the legal record
The Duty of Care under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 requires licensed carriers to document every waste transfer anyway. A Waste Transfer Note names the facility, the waste type, and the date. We simply surface that existing legal trail to you.
The law already requires this — we enforce it
Fly-tipping is a criminal offence under Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The Duty of Care under the same Act means waste producers are legally responsible for ensuring their waste reaches a licensed site. RubbishBids doesn't create new obligations — it makes the existing ones visible and verifiable.
What this means for you
The same standard applies whether you're booking a clearance or carrying one.
For customers
- Peace of mind that your waste reached a licensed facility
- A verifiable record you can keep for your own Duty of Care
- Protection against being implicated in illegal disposal
- Confidence that the price you paid was for legal, documented work
For carriers
- A level playing field — honest operators are rewarded
- Customers can see you operate to the legal standard
- Documentation you already produce is simply uploaded
- Repeated failure to meet the standard leads to account restrictions up to removal
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about legal waste disposal and how RubbishBids verifies every job