Eliminating fly tipping

Behaviours related to the elimination of fly-tipping


  • What behaviour are you trying to change? Eg reducing the dumping of large items on the street next to bin

     
  • Whose behaviour are you trying to change? Eg those who are about to move properties
  • Where are you trying to change the behaviour? Eg in the home, by the bin and at the recycling centre
  • When are you trying to change the behaviour? Eg as individuals are about to move property
  • How often are you trying to change the behaviour? Eg every time someone moves property

What are the drivers/barriers to eliminate fly-tipping?

Do your communities have the capability to eliminate fly tipping? Psychological capability

Do they know that it is against the law to leave rubbish including old furniture on the street? Upon the infrequent event that they need to get rid of furniture (for example) do they remember to go to the recycling centre or have it collected rather than leave it on the street? Do they know about the Nextdoor app or similar where items can be sold to local people? Do they plan to take the trip to the recycling centre, or do they get organised to create a profile and upload the necessary information to the appropriate app? Is their means of transport big enough to fit what they are trying to get rid of (space wise)? Do they know where their local recycling centre is?

Do your communities have the capability to eliminate fly tipping? Physical capability

Can they carry or transport items to another person’s property who is interested in the item? Can they carry or transport items to the recycling centre?

Do your communities have the opportunity to eliminate fly tipping? Physical opportunity Do they have the time to take items to the recycling centre? Do they have time to recycle them or sell them? Do they have the right app or webpage to sell items on? Do they have access to a car to transport items to the appropriate place? Do they live near recycling centre?
Do your communities have the opportunity to eliminate fly tipping? Social opportunity

Do others leave their items on the street? What do others around them think of them dumping their waste or old belongings in the local environment? Are others watching them? Do their friends and neighbours encourage them to use local services to get rid of waste? Is there a pressure to conform and not leave waste for others to take care of? Is there someone in the community modelling the right behaviours? Do they have anyone to help them carry or transport their old belongings to the recycling centre, or someone who they can do it with?

Do your communities have the motivation to eliminate fly tipping? Automatic motivation Do they fear going to the recycling centre due to seeing vermin? Are they anxious about using an app to sell items and someone coming to their property for fear of it being unsafe? Do they enjoy selling items and receiving money from their old belongings?
Do your communities have the motivation to eliminate fly tipping? Reflective motivation

Do they believe that someone else should clear their belongings from the street? Do they value a clean and tidy street? What are their attitudes towards waste operatives: do people think they should take care of all their waste (even the type of waste that cannot be dealt with at kerbside?)

 

What interventions could you use?

Education

  • Communication to say that fly tipping is illegal (Pschological capability)

     
  • Communication campaign: your waste, your responsibility (to address negative beliefs towards the waste operative) (Reflective motivation)

Training

  • A video on how to upload items to the appropriate app to sell items on (Psychological capability)

Enablement

  • An app to sell their items on

    Provide a collection service for larger items to be taken to the recycling centre for free or for a small fee

  • After the pandemic, organise periodic events where people from the community can come together and sort through the stuff they no longer need (possibility to exchange items). Charities or other organisations can take part at these events with vans etc., so anything that people want to get rid of can be taken with them, instead of it ending up being fly tipped (social opportunity)