Ashford resident hit with £1,000 Fixed Penalty Notice for fly-tipping
Published: 29/01/2026
The Ashford Environmental Enforcement Team has further reinforced its commitment to combatting fly-tipping after a local resident was tracked down and hit with a £1,000 Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN).
An anonymous report of a fly tip in the Great Chart area was made on November 30 2025, which saw officers attend the site in question and subsequently open an investigation to resolve the matter.
That investigation successfully linked the waste to a person from the Ashford area, who was then interviewed under caution from the Environment Enforcement Team. Following the interview, a £1,000 FPN was issued and was swiftly paid.
Legal duty of care
Households and also businesses have a legal duty of care when it comes to what happens with their waste. Before using someone to dispose of your rubbish, you must carry out checks to ensure that the waste collectors are registered with the Environmental Agency and carry an authorised license.
Many of the leads that end with offenders being caught come from residents alerting the team to fly-tipping incidents by using the Report It page on the council’s website.
Beware rogue waste carriers
The Ashford team warn that fly-tippers often target households via social media or local advertising, luring customers in with cheap rates to dispose of unwanted furniture, building rubble or garden waste.
But these unlicensed waste carriers often simply dump the waste wherever they think they can get away with it, including in Ashford’s country lanes.
Householders or small businesses found to be using these rogues to dispose of their waste can be prosecuted by the Council, with FPNs of up to £600 per offence. Failure to pay may result in court action.
You can check whether someone is licensed to carry waste by calling the Environment Agency on 03708 506506 or visit their website.
When having someone collect waste from your property or business, you should always receive a written receipt or transfer note – including contact details, description of waste removed and details of where the waste is being taken to.
