Littering is an offence under Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
You are guilty of littering if you throw down, drop or otherwise deposit any litter in any private or public place open to the air, to which the public have access.
You can report littering, including from a car using our online form. You can also use the online form to report:
- bodily fluids
- broken glass
- dead animals
- dog fouling
- fly posting
- fly tipping
- leaves
- litter
- needles
- graffiti
- overflowing bin
- overflowing dog bin
- overgrown grass
- overgrown hedges
- recycling sacks
- refuse sacks
- weeds
Report littering or other street scene problem
To complete this form you will need to:
- give us your name, address and contact details
- tell us where the litter is
- tell us the time and date that you saw the litter
- tell us the make, registration number and window the person threw the litter from if you are reporting car littering
Committing a littering offence
If you are over the age of 18 and commit littering, you may receive a £200 Fixed Penalty Notice, (FPN). This is reduced to £150 if paid within 10 days.
If the Fixed Penalty Notice is not paid within 14 days legal action may be taken. If found guilty in the Magistrates Court, you may receive a fine of up to £2,500 plus costs.
If you are under the age of 18, you may receive a warning and a letter sent to your parents or guardians.
