Report an environmental incident

There’s a different way to report an environmental incident in Wales, an environmental incident in Scotland and an environmental incident in Northern Ireland.

You need to call the Environment Agency incident hotline to report:

  • collapsed or badly damaged river banks
  • damage or danger to the natural environment
  • dead fish or fish gasping for air
  • flooding from main rivers or the sea
  • people taking water illegally from rivers, streams, canals or underground sources such as wells
  • incidents at Environment Agency-regulated waste sites
  • main rivers blocked by a vehicle or fallen tree causing risk of flooding
  • poaching or illegal fishing
  • pollution to water or land
  • unusual changes in river flow

Environment Agency incident hotline
Telephone: 0800 80 70 60
24-hour service
Find out about call charges

Read guidance on how the Environment Agency will assess and prioritise any incident you report.

There’s a different way to make a complaint about the Environment Agency.

Report waste crime

Waste crime includes:

  • running a waste site without an environmental permit

  • large scale waste dumping (such as lorries dumping rubbish)
  • illegally exporting waste, including broken vehicles
  • transporting waste without a waste carrier registration
  • illegal burial or burning of waste
  • fly-tipping 75 litres or more of hazardous waste
  • dumping a skip load or more of asbestos

You can report waste crime anonymously to Crimestoppers.

Crimestoppers
Report crime online
Telephone: 0800 555 111
24-hour service
Find out about call charges

If someone has illegally dumped waste on your land

You’ll need to decide how to deal with the waste and pay for someone to dispose of it properly.

You could be fined up to £200 if you do not dispose of the waste properly.

If there’s a risk to the environment or human health, call the Environment Agency hotline.

Environment Agency incident hotline
Telephone: 0800 80 70 60
24-hour service
Find out about call charges

Incidents you should report to local councils and utility companies

For the following incidents, see the separate guidance to find out whether you should notify your local council or the utility company to:

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