Waste Amnesty

Area in city/ citywide:	City Wide
Presented by:	Chloe Mclaughlin Chloe.mclaughlin@brighton-hove.gov.uk
Appendix:

Purpose:

Residents have raised concerns about fly‑tipping, the accumulation of bulky waste, and the barriers some households face in disposing of large items. Waste Amnesty events aim to address these issues by improving estate cleanliness, providing easier access to proper waste disposal, increasing resident engagement and reducing incidents of fly‑tipping.

This report sets out the planned approach for delivering scheduled Waste Amnesty events across Housing estates in the city. It also describes how areas will be identified and how communities can get involved.

Main body of the report:

The purpose of this report is to outline the proposal to deliver a programme of Waste Amnesty events between May and August 2026. Learning from these eight scheduled events will inform the next scheduled programme.

These events are intended to support residents in disposing of bulky waste responsibly, while helping to reduce fly‑tipping and improve the cleanliness and safety on estates

Two events will be delivered in each of the four areas: North, East, West and Central. Locations within these areas will be selected based on the volume of fly‑tipping cleared by the Estate Services Team during the previous year, ensuring that the programme is targeted where need is highest.

Once the areas have been identified, each location will be visited to determine suitable drop‑off points. These will be mapped and chosen for ease of access for both residents and the council’s caged vehicles. Residents in the affected areas will receive 48 hours’ notice of the event. They will be provided with a leaflet containing information on the drop‑off locations, the times of the event, a list of items that can be collected and contact details for those who require help to move items.

On the day itself, council staff will attend with caged vehicles to collect and remove all items left at the designated collection points. Alongside waste removal, the events will also promote the Furniture Recycling Scheme, offering residents an opportunity to donate items in good condition so they can be reused by other households.

This proposal builds on learning from the previous Waste Amnesty, which took place in East Brighton. That event was resident‑led and supported by the Council, with the aim of improving local cleanliness and helping residents dispose of bulky items safely. A total of 150 properties were leafleted. The event was a collaborative effort between resident volunteers, staff from across the Housing service, Community Engagement Officers and Environmental Services staff. Environmental Services began removing waste early, clearing three truckloads of items that were obstructing pavements even before the official start time of 9:30am.

The waste amnesty resulted in the collection of 4.9 tonnes of waste. Items included fridges and freezers, sofas and chairs containing persistent organic pollutants (POPs), televisions, mattresses, tyres and gas bottles. The atmosphere throughout the event was positive, with many residents' expressing gratitude for the support offered by community volunteers and council staff.

In addition to waste disposal, the event created a valuable opportunity for face‑to‑face engagement between residents and the Council. Throughout the day, residents raised a variety of unrelated queries and concerns, including issues with untidy gardens, overgrown trees, benefits queries and reports of anti‑social behaviour. Because a wide range of council teams were present, many of these issues were addressed immediately. This demonstrated that Waste Amnesty events can strengthen communication between residents and the Council, while also improving local environments.

In conclusion, the proposed programme of eight Waste Amnesty events for 2026 provides an effective way to reduce fly‑tipping, improve estate appearance and support residents in managing bulky waste responsibly. It also has the potential to enhance community engagement and build positive relationships.

Next Steps/how to get involved:

Residents can help by identifying estates that you think would benefit from a waste amnesty. All suggestions will be considered and included in the selection process. You can submit these requests by emailing estatesserviceteam@brighton-hove.gov.uk.

Fly tipping can never be completely stopped! Together we can minimise the amount that is fly tipped and help residents dispose of their bulky items considerately. All suggestions and ideas on helping to reduce fly tipping is greatly appreciated.