Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of waste, while littering is dropping smaller rubbish like wrappers, cigarette ends, or other loose waste. Tonbridge and Malling treats fly-tipping as the more serious offence, with higher penalties than littering.
| Offence | What it means | Penalty in current council information |
|---|---|---|
| Littering | Dropping small items of rubbish | £250 for first-time or small-scale offences, or £125 if paid early; up to £500 for larger items or repeat offences |
| Fly-tipping | Dumping rubbish illegally | Up to £1,000 |
Tonbridge and Malling also notes that enforcement staff are trained to tell the difference between accidental and deliberate littering.