Flytipping, Asbestos and Abandoned Vehicles
Flytipping
The Outer Hebrides is a naturally beautiful area to live and visit, and is well known for its scenic landscapes. Flytipping is not only a blight on the environment, it is also illegal and can be dangerous - especially to children and wildlife. Flytipped waste includes:
- Old furniture
- Garden waste
- Construction debris
We have powers to take action against flytipping under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Report Flytipping
When reporting an instance of flytipping, it is helpful if you can provide as much information as possible:
- Location of the materials dumped
- Details of materials
- Vehicle licence plate and description of vehicle used to dump materials (photos are also useful)
- Description of people seen fly-tipping
If you see anyone dumping rubbish illegally you can report it to Dumb Dumpers (Opens in a new window or downloads a file).
You can also Contact Us to report instances of flytipping.
Private landowners are advised to secure their land against flytipping. Landowners are responsible for clearing up any flytipped materials and pay for its correct disposal.
It is also an offence to permit flytipping.
If you are caught flytipping you could be fined £200 to £20,000 or receive 6 months in prison (up to 5 years if Special Waste (Opens in a new window or downloads a file) is dumped). The police have powers to seize vehicles used for flytipping. The driver can be prosecuted, as can the person in control of the vehicle.
Asbestos
Asbestos is a natural mineral that was widely used as a building material in the UK between the 1950’s and 1980’s due to its heat and fire resistant properties, as well as being a good insulator and very hard wearing. It can be found in any building built or refurbished before 2000.
More Information On The Dangers Of Working With Asbestos
In Scotland asbestos is classed as Special Waste and therefore requires to be disposed of by a licensed waste carrier at a site licensed to accept asbestos waste. All movements of special waste must be accompanied by a Special Waste Consignment Note. Contact SEPA (Opens in a new window or downloads a file) for more information.
Contact your nearest waste facility for advice on what they require from you when disposing of asbestos:
Bennadrove Landfill Site : 01851 706 744
Market Stance : 01870 604 998
Abandoned Vehicles
Abandoned vehicles are not only an eyesore, they can also become a danger to the public.
If you wish to check the tax status of a vehicle you believe may have been abandoned, you can do so on the DVLA Vehicle Enquiry (Opens in a new window or downloads a file) website.
To report an abandoned vehicle, contact Zero Waste Western Isles.
You will be asked to provide as much of the following information about the vehicle as possible:
- Location
- Registration number
- Make and model of the vehicle
- Colour
- General condition of the vehicle
Disposing of Waste
Details of charges for disposing of different categories of waste in the Western Isles