What to do if you see someone tipping toilet waste illegally (UK)

[maingate]

I have reported fly tipping where we walk the dogs via the Council website. The process online is long winded and often fails and has to be started over again. Now I don't bother because it lies there for weeks afterwards.

Also the Sewage plant upstream from the watercourse that runs through a Country Park and into a lake has been contaminated for donkeys years by raw sewage. I used to report that to Environmental Services and if I was lucky, someone might contact me 2 weeks later to say they had just checked the stream and there was no problem. I no longer bother with that either.

 

[wildebus]

Yeah, great, I can see who all the macho big guys are.

From a personal perspective I'd probably verbally confront someone doing this - in fact I know I almost certainly would.

But then again, depending on who the perpertrator is, I might not fancy being physically attacked and beaten to a pulp in return, and I'm sure most people would feel the same!

There are too many examples of people confronted with their misbehaviour (whatever that be be at the time) escalating into a situation way beyond the original misdemeanor and sometimes with fatal or life-changing consequences.
Often not worth the risk IMO.

I would not become an unpaid unwanted official. I would and have told someone directly that the behaviour is unacceptable. Plus it has consequences!

What you are saying about not wanting to become an "unpaid unwanted official" is contradicted in the next sentence in effect by being just that by telling someone directly their behaviour is unacceptable is it not?

Therefore taking discreet photos as per the guidelines from CAMpRA and reporting the "incident" is a perfectly OK alternative in my view.

So unless you guys are so uncivil yourselves these day, or you're ex-cons who follow the first law of the criminal code ("never grass"), I don't see why anyone should have any particular problem with it.

Maybe it's because you'd rather have the excuse to tut, cluck and have a good moan and grumble about it instead of trying to help find different ways to fix/prevent the problem - outside of tackling it head on and maybe getting attacked as a result. Remember it's this kind of black waste dumping that reflects back on all of us - and please don't start giving me all the stuff about "it's people in tents/cars/daytrippers" etc. because, whilst that may also be true, it's irrelevant in this specific context (CAMpRA).

I've never seen this kind of behaviour and I can't (or maybe don't want to?) believe it is commonplace at all, but I see no problem in reporting an incident to the authorities to deal with.

 

[wildebus]

I think what is needed is a proper deterrent - £2000 fine minimum for a start (although left to me it would be £10k) and community service picking up litter.

"Make the time fit the crime". 200 Hours community service cleaning public toilets

 

[Sharon the Cat]

I would like to think that I would be sensible and follow the given advice. I know from experience that if I don't stop to think it through, I might say something choice starting with a very loud "Oi!"

For reporting potholes etc I use an app called FixMyStreet, which I know can also be used to report flytipping. It seems to be very effective, certainly within Herefordshire. I bet it could be used for something like this too.

FixMyStreet

 

[campervanannie]

I have over the years confronted many campers dumping waste and dog walkers not picking up poo but at a beach beauty spot watching car drivers there for the day then trotting of into nearby parkland with toilet roll in hand and you know local councils will blame the motorhomers and the reaction is to ban us I even took photos sent them to the council the response height barriers so the car crappers are still getting away with it.

 

[TerryD]

I notice a few people saying they would confront them BUT they would be selective or careful who they would confront.
This made me chuckle, how are those people who are going to be selective or careful profile the people that are dumping the waste ?
It is silly you either confront all or none, you can not be selective, have you not seen what goes on these days 13-14 year old up for murder due to stabbing some one to death, children taking knifes to school. Adults attacking police officers for doing there duty, Ambulance/Fire crews getting attacked for dealing with an incident, Idiots fighting on an aircraft I could go on and on.
I would love to hear how those who are going to be selective would decide who they pick on and who they turn there back on, you see having the attitude only certain people can be told its wrong is what has created the world we now live in.
You think that young couple with there new born child tipping there waste will be the easy target and bow down to your calling them out or will it be the elderly couple lovely old lady sitting in her chair watching hubby struggle to tip there shite out.
Anyone doing this kind of thing could be dangerous BUT they all need calling out not just the selective few, you can call anyone out but just do it from a safe distance and do not get in to a confrontation with them, Set it straight what they are doing is wrong

 

[guerdeval]

I would like to think that I would be sensible and follow the given advice. I know from experience that if I don't stop to think it through, I might say something choice starting with a very loud "Oi!"

For reporting potholes etc I use an app called FixMyStreet, which I know can also be used to report flytipping. It seems to be very effective, certainly within Herefordshire. I bet it could be used for something like this too.

FixMyStreet

Wow, potholes in Herefordshire, you must be very busy as it has to be the very worst council for potholes in the UK but that’s another subject, maybe a survey of potholes ?

 

[Sharon the Cat]

Wow, potholes in Herefordshire, you must be very busy as it has to be the very worst council for potholes in the UK but that’s another subject, maybe a survey of potholes ?

One keeps appearing regularly on a bend in the road outside our cottage. I find that if you state "Pothole is on a bend and drivers are taking the blind bend wide to avoid it." You get a pretty quick reaction.
Hopefully recent works may even keep it at bay long term.

 

[guerdeval]

One keeps appearing regularly on a bend in the road outside our cottage. I find that if you state "Pothole is on a bend and drivers are taking the blind bend wide to avoid it." You get a pretty quick reaction.
Hopefully recent works may even keep it at bay long term.

To be fair I’ve just done return trip Worcester-Leominster and it’s a lot better than last time but still stretches of teeth rattling ,never understand why they cann’t re-in force the stretches where HGV’s have to brake/accelerate or just use concrete for a few yards.

 

[Scotia]

Nothing about being macho Marie I used the 'lone female' as an example, I'm sure you would confront somebody doing this in certain circumstances but it could be a dangerous thing to do.

I too would be selective about who I confronted though. I might confront a motorhomer about dumping black waste but I would probably think twice about confronting a bunch of travellers fly-tipping in a layby! I reckon a case like this has to be judged carefully before taking any confrontational action and sometimes a quick photo' and jot down the reg may be the better option - discretion being the better part of valour.

Would you confront the BIG Bird ?

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Would you confront the BIG Bird ?

I’m a pussy cat, honest Sam - “all bark and nee bite”. And I’ve never thumped anyone in my entire life (felt like it a few times though!!)

 

[Fisherman]

Nothing about being macho Marie I used the 'lone female' as an example, I'm sure you would confront somebody doing this in certain circumstances but it could be a dangerous thing to do.

I too would be selective about who I confronted though. I might confront a motorhomer about dumping black waste but I would probably think twice about confronting a bunch of travellers fly-tipping in a layby! I reckon a case like this has to be judged carefully before taking any confrontational action and sometimes a quick photo' and jot down the reg may be the better option - discretion being the better part of valour.

I would rather be confronted by Mike Tyson than Marie Rob.

 

[Fisherman]

I have never personally witnessed this behaviour, hopefully I never will.
But I have witnessed public toilets being used and left in such a mess as to make them unfit for use.
This normally happens at night when things get quiet and they are in and out in under a minute.
I have never reported or approached anyone regarding this because unless there are signs up banning this its a grey area.
But if I ever witnessed anyone dumping their waste in a river or elsewhere I would discretely take photos, see were they head back to and photograph their van, and post it online.
I would also report them as appropriate.
But I agree with Rob, heavy fines are the way forward.
When our detractors mention this type of behaviour to me, I always tell them we hate it more than them.

 

[maingate]

The maximum fines for flytipping are very high, unlimited in fact and a maximum of 5 years in jail.

However, on the rare occasions where there has been a court case and prosecution, the Judges give a relatively small fine.

 

[Robmac]

The maximum fines for flytipping are very high, unlimited in fact and a maximum of 5 years in jail.

However, on the rare occasions where there has been a court case and prosecution, the Judges give a relatively small fine.

I don't understand why Jim the powers that be know how the general public feel about it.

But that's why I stated 'minimum £2k' but I'm not sure we do minimum fines in the UK?

 

[colinm]

There are too many examples of people confronted with their misbehaviour (whatever that be be at the time) escalating into a situation way beyond the original misdemeanor and sometimes with fatal or life-changing consequences.
Often not worth the risk IMO

At a local supermarket it became not just life-changing, but life ending for one chap.

 

[maingate]

I don't understand why Jim the powers that be know how the general public feel about it.

But that's why I stated 'minimum £2k' but I'm not sure we do minimum fines in the UK?

I think we have just seen that the powers that be understand nothing Rob.

 

[Boris7]

I think it’s important to film and report such activity, if you don’t then you are in effect condoning it.

Whether you choose to say something to the offender is dependent on the circumstances.

I can’t see a lone lady ripping into a large ugly bloke like Rob, but I’m sure the Ginge would want to.

I did once at a race meeting have a go at a couple who were simply throwing their waste out of the van when they were no more than 20feet from the bins, we got another regular race goer and blocked them in until they cleaned up.

 

[Robmac]

I can’t see a lone lady ripping into a large ugly bloke like Rob, but I’m sure the Ginge would want to.

ere, ang on a minute - just realised there's 2 or 3 ways of reading that Kev!

 

[caledonia]

It’s boils my pee pee so it does. This is people walking the West Highland Way crapping next to our cottage. Beautiful unspoilt Highlands to walk in and they crap right next to the path and make no attempt to hide or cover it.
People just don’t care.