Fly tippers who spoil the city for others will face heavier penalties under new measures introduced by City of Wolverhampton Council.

Fines for fly tipping have increased from £400 to £1,000 in the authority’s continuing battle against the environmental crime.

The council has taken the decision to raise the fine after the government increased the maximum Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) allowed for fly tipping.

The first FPN with the increased charge has already been issued and paid after officers tracked down the culprit responsible for a fly tip in Graisley.
The offender’s details were found among the dumped waste.

The fly tipper paid the fine within 14 days, reducing the total from £1,000 to £500. The early payment option will also apply in any future cases.

Money raised by the payment of fines continues to be reinvested in the council’s environmental crime service, helping to bring people to justice who fail to dispose of their waste correctly.

Fly tipping costs Wolverhampton taxpayers around £300,000 a year. The increase in the fine is just one of a number of ways in which the council is working to tackle the crime.

In December, a new drone was introduced to allow officers to easily scan areas that have been victim to fly tipping and collect high quality footage to assist with prosecutions.

The new technology supports the council’s ongoing Shop a Tipper campaign. Under the campaign, anyone suspected of dumping rubbish has their images shared to appeal for information to help identify them.

If the information provided leads to successful identification, and FPNs are issued and paid or a prosecution takes place, residents receive a £100 Enjoy Wolverhampton Gift Card.

Residents can contact 01902 552700 with information or report online at www.shopatipper.com

Where there are large fly tipping incidents, the offender will be taken to court, where they may face an unlimited fine or imprisonment for up to 12 months, or both. This also applies to cases with unpaid FPNs.

Since the start of January last year, the council has issued 52, £400 fixed penalty notices for fly tipping. During 2024, the council carried out five prosecutions for waste-related crime and seized three vehicles.

Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, cabinet member for resident services at City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “There is no excuse for fly-tipping in Wolverhampton. In fact, there is no excuse for fly tipping anywhere.

“It is anti-social, harmful to people and wildlife, and an eyesore. It's especially offensive to anyone who lives or works in the city and disposes of their waste responsibly.

“The council provides public litter bins, regular domestic waste and recycling collections, two household waste and recycling centres, a free small electricals collection service and a bulky waste collection service.

"Anyone who is found to have fly tipped in Wolverhampton will face a fine of up to £1,000. We want the city's streets to be kept clean, green and safe for everyone.” 

Residents are reminded that waste can be disposed of free of charge at our Household Waste and Recycling Centres (tips) which are open 7 days a week from 8am – 4pm. Centres are at Anchor Lane, Lanesfield, Bilston and Shaw Road, Wolverhampton.

A bulky item collection service to dispose of big unwanted items is also available, find out more at www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/recycling-and-waste/book-bulky-item-collection