It’s against the law to illegally dump or dispose of waste.
Farmers, private or public landowners accepting fill must ensure they do not accept material that includes:
- construction or demolition waste
- asbestos or contaminated soils.
By law, you are responsible for fencing or taking all precautions necessary to prevent uncontrolled access to your land that can enable waste dumping, or you will be liable for fines and clean-up costs.
If you are a landowner leasing your land to tenants, you can also be liable for any contaminated material left on your property, even if you did not put it there.
EPA has developed guidance for farmers and landowners that will assist you in understanding how to protect your land and yourself from illegally dumped waste:
- What to do with farm wastes (publication 1049)
- Farm waste management (publication IWRG641)
- Illegal dumping alert – Avoid the dangers of taking fill material onto your land (publication 1512)
- Landlords and agents fact sheet: Storage and abandonment of waste (publication 1680)
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Reviewed 23 August 2020
