Hi all , i havent posted in a bit but thought this warrents it. Bought my french property just about this time last year and have been there afor just a few months of this year on and of.. flying back and forth from uk/ireland. So i have just had a message from a freindly neigbhour thst while out walking his dog and down a bridleway that passes my property that there has been a large amount of rubbish tipped out on the lane!! Fly tipping as we would know it!! Now not having been over at the property for a few months i am wondering what steps to take and how in reporting this .also i intend fitting recording cameras in future to possibly capture any future culprits
Hi. We’ve recently been through this, but nothing like as bad as your situation, for which I fully sympathise. We approached our Mairie. I’d recommend doing this to you..They knew, and should know, which agency, branch of local government, landowner etc was responsible for the lane and verge where the unpleasant flytip was dumped (somebody’s loo and collecting tank - can’t think what the correct word is!) from their caravan. Once the responsible agency was identified (in this case the Office National des Forêts - ONF) we had to do the legwork of approaching the ONF to alert them. It took several weeks before they removed the flytip from a beautiful forest area (lack of funds they told me).
Somebody will no doubt tell you (you may already be aware) that any CCTV cameras cannot be pointed at/capture images from public roads, pavements, or neighbouring properties and have to be angled so they focus on entrances, drives and other internal areas only, for privacy reasons.
Good luck.
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I think this sort of thing will only get worse with the increasing restrictions of tipping at decheteries. A really bad developement in my opinion. People should be encouraged to tip in the proper place, not discouraged.
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Indeed they should. Everything can be legally “got rid of” but one needs to know where and how… and often (but not always) there is a fee to be paid.
Some decheteries are bigger than others and can take a wider range of things.
If one’s local decheterie is unable to accept something, they (or the Mairie) should be able to advise which specialist (or another decheterie) will accept the “whatever”.
Same in the UK. One big problem is that disposing of “trade waste” is difficult - in Surrey the domestic waste centres won’t take it. You are supposed to use a commercial waste disposal firm, which is a hassle and costs money, thus encouraging cowboy builders etc to dump rubble etc from house renovations up a convenient lane. And even household DIY waste can be chargeable if over the “weekly allowance”, which is two 50 litre bags and one sheet of plasterboard.
Over that and they charge ÂŁ50 per car load, or a fiver a bag! And if you want to turn up in a van you will need to apply for a permit as well.
it’s no surprise that stuff ends up being fly-tipped.
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Yes I see France going down the same rabbit hole where I was always impressed that they took a more grown up approach but seems they have lost that.
Perhaps your area of France is not so well organised. Everywhere differs, only natural.
Must say I’ve been impressed with the decheteries we’ve used recently. I think I reported our successful clearout of all sorts of bits and bobs and made our first trip of 2025. The chaps were most helpful and appreciated that we had sorted well.. electrical, plumbing, large plastics, cables.. you name it and we had it to chuck away. Most went into special containers/areas for that “product”.
we are allowed a number of trips to the dechet place every year, all included in the “Rubbish/Dustbin” bill. Recently our old toilet cistern went to the dechet place although it was a neighbour who put it on his trailer with his own stuff, as OH was unwell.
There was no quibbling about the dechet place accepting it and there was no charge… likewise with our old fridge-freezer which another neighbour took earlier in the year.
I do not like the local dustbin system, but the local decheteries are excellent.
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So are ours Stella, its reports from others that are beginning to cause concern
Our déchetterie is very good. There are no restrictions on how much you can bring and although you’re supposed to show ID, we’ve never been asked but then we know the two guys there. In Carcassonne they’re bringing in access cards and I think our ComCom are thinking of doing the same but there’s no talk of limits. They take pretty much anything here as well which is great.
Ours needs a card to open the barrier and I think we’re now limited to ten visits a year before being charged extra.
Agree but there is a cost involved with safely disposing of waste which, for some reason, people seem totally unwilling to pay.
But, then, when we are prepared to pollute our planet and waste its natural resources why should it surprise us that individuals are not prepared to responsibly dispose of waste material.
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Ours is 20, 10 seems a bit low and could lead to more fly tipping (not you obviously) probably worth asking next trip
It’s clearly stated on the bill, definitely 10.
Ok, we feel quite happy for now but I would expect we’ll follow suit before long and no doubt fly tipping will follow 
this discussion has got me checking my own bill.
As a household of 2 permanent residents, we are entitled to 26 “openings” of the local black-sack container and also 26 visits to the decheterie.
also entitled to free, unlimited access to the other local containers - glass, cardboard, recycling stuff.
of course, nothing is actually free… 
I agree. I left the UK for good to avoid all these stupid rules. Now, they are being imposed over here! All these idiot farmer Maires and their cohorts in the Mairies think up this nonsense off the tops of their heads, without thinking of the consequences. They should refer to the fly tipping epidemic in the UK before they decide to go down this red tape route.
Another stupid situation now occurring around my area is the dangerous posing of plastic chicanes in preparation for fixed ones which could be posed in the future. These orange and white monstrosities are badly lit at night, and only show reflected lights from full beam headlights. Are the French going to put up with this!? Looks like it.
Before we got the dechetteries there was fly tipping in the trees between villages, somebody is determined to turn tha clock back, and not just on the last October weekend.
As regards the chicanes, deadly, as are speed bumps, if you want to control speed put up more cameras, they always deter me.
We have been trying to get rid of 30 cm² of asbestos roofing we found in our shed. I called a professional outfit, who quoted, wait for it. €800!!!
Our dechetterie won’t take it. We can take it to a dechetterie 100km away if we make an appointment, but we haven’t got a car.
So what do we do with it? Bury it?
Personally I wouldn’t touch asbestos myself given how dangerous it is.
There are strict rules in the UK about dealing with it, I wonder if France is the same?
We had those put at either end of the road past the edge of the village, on which I live. They were hit so many times and annoyed so many people that when a vote was done for whether we should put permanent ones in place, the vote was roundly rejected 
Is it loose asbestos, i.e. like a fibrous wool, or is it solid asbestos sheet. If sheet, are there any loose fibres ?
If it’s just a piece of bound sheet with no loose fibres you can just put it in an airtight bag. If it’s asbestos wool or if there are loose fibres it’s another matter. The thing about asbestos is that it’s perfectly safe once it’s sealed away, as long as it stays that way. Whatever you end up doing, before you handle it, always wear a proper respirator mask and gloves. Wash everything afterwards including yourself.
Disclaimer : I’m no expert in waste management, but my OH was so don’t rely on my advice alone.
I used to live in a village only 1km away from what was years ago a large asbestos factory. Up to the 1950’s, they used to take the waste asbestos and chuck it down a steep slope in my village without a thought. It was (in the 70’s I think) investigated and properly buried and capped and trees planted to consolidate the soil to avoid erosion on the slope. They did a great job, so much so that it’s presence hasn’t affected house prices.