Waste Enforcement

The Council’s Enforcement Officers deal with a variety of environmental issues on public land that can have a negative impact on the local environment. They undertake routine patrols in the Borough of Ipswich.

Littering

Is a criminal offence, punishable by fines of up to £2500
Dropping cigarette butts is considered littering
Dropping them down drains is still considered littering
Dropping organic waste including seed husks is considered littering
Officers patrol the town and can issue a £150 Fixed Penalty Notice to offenders if they catch someone dropping litter.

Fly-tipping / Illegal Dumping

Is a criminal offence, punishable by unlimited fines and/or a custodial sentence of up to 5 years
Officers investigate incidents of illegal waste and issue fixed penalty notices to offenders
If you see it, report it here

Duty Of Care

Residents have a responsibility to make sure anyone collecting their waste is licensed
If you do not, you could face prosecution
Ask the driver to see their waste carrier’s license. All waste carriers must have this by law. If they do not have one, or it is out of date, refuse to deal with them and report them to the Environment Agency. The register of waste carriers, brokers and dealers can be found here
Businesses have a legal responsibility to safely contain and legally dispose of any rubbish they produce. They are also obliged to hold a valid waste transfer note from their current contractor, which our officers may ask to see. If a business fails to produce the correct documentation within the timeframe given, a fixed penalty notice may be issued.