Residents turned away from rubbish sites unless they can prove they live locally

The crackdown is among measures brought in by local authorities to stop businesses and builders using "civic amenity sites" and recycling centres intended only for domestic waste.

But critics say the restrictions make it "pointlessly difficult" for householders to dispose of their rubbish responsibly and will lead to more flytipping.

They come as hundreds of councils have introduced fortnightly bin collections to save money and force residents into recycling more household waste.

A Daily Mail survey found that more than half of local authorities now have rules which allow them to turn people away unless they have permits which prove their identity and show they live locally.

A growing number are introducing charges for those who cannot prove residency and some councils are rationing the use of their rubbish dumps.

One in ten has banned pedestrians, ensuring that they are forced to drive to their recycling centre to do their bit for the environment.

And countryside campaigners say a growing number of householders are being turned away from rubbish dumps and recycling centres because they drive "the wrong sort of car" or have no proof of identity.

Tim Bonner, of the Countryside Alliance, said the crackdown on rubbish tips would encourage illegal dumping of rubbish in the country.

"Civic amenity sites commonly restrict entry to avoid commercial waste - the logic behind this is that businesses and builders should be paying for the disposal of their own waste," he said.

"But this often results in the absurd situation of people driving miles to their site in a 4X4 only to be turned away because their vehicle is too big.

"At the same time, commercial waste is being brought to tips in many cars and not a builder's van.

"Civic amenity sites are a vital part of the fight to boost household recycling and the safe and proper disposal of waste, but it has to be made easier to dump legally than illegally."

One victim of the regime is Andy Beadsworth, who was turned away from Worcestershire County Council's civic amenity site because his Toyota was too big.

Mr Beadsworth, 67, was dropping off two bin bags of rubbish.

"One was from my home, the other was a collection of bottles and bags from the nearby lay-by at home, which had been thrown out by litter louts," said Mr Beadsworth, the owner of civil engineering company.

"Although I've been there many, many times before, the girl at the gate said she couldn't let me tip there because I was driving a commercial vehicle.

"It's not - it's my Toyota twin cam and it's my car. We have a pick-up because we keep lurchers.

"We own ten vans and we know they can't go to the tip and we don't try. But it was obvious that all I had with me was a couple of bin bags. It seems ridiculous."

Councils across Britain say they have introduced rules to deter commercial waste. Rutland Council only lets locals with a council permit into its tips, while Southend Council charges people £4 a time to dump rubbish unless they can prove they live locally.

In London, Bromley council charges £3 for those with no proof of identity. Others are rationing the use of rubbish dumps.

At Morden, residents can take only 0.25 tons of waste in a sixmonth period. Any more and they have to pay at least £40.

Councils insist the restrictions - which also include CCTV cameras - are needed to stop builders and other businesses dumping rubbish in landfill sites earmarked for domestic waste.

A survey of 100 councils found that 55 have introduced permits or bans on vans and large cars. Eleven ban pedestrians or insist pedestrians visiting tips have permits, to stop builders parking around the corner and bringing commercial waste in on foot.

Paul Bettison, chairman of the Local Government Association, said: "It is against the law for business to dispose of its waste at a household civic amenity site. Council taxpayers should not foot the bill for trade waste."