We are reminding residents and businesses of their legal duty to dispose of waste responsibly, following a rise in fly-tipping incidents linked to unlicensed “man with a van” services advertising locally on social media.
Our Environmental Health team is currently investigating several cases where waste has been illegally dumped after being collected by individuals offering cheap waste removal online. Enforcement action is being taken where evidence allows.
Under Section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, both individuals and organisations have a duty of care to ensure that any waste they produce is handled and disposed of correctly. This applies to all types of waste including; household rubbish, garden waste and business materials.
Anyone who fails to meet this legal responsibility could face fines or prosecution, even if they were unaware their waste was fly-tipped.
Councillor Richard Cox, Cabinet Member for Community and Public Protection, said:
“We take fly-tipping extremely seriously. If waste is dumped illegally and can be traced back to a resident or business, we will not hesitate to take enforcement action.
“Everyone has a responsibility to make sure their waste is disposed of properly, whether that means using a licensed waste carrier or taking it to a council recycling site.”
Fly-tipping not only damages the district’s countryside and streets but also places a financial burden on local taxpayers, with clean-up costs running into tens of thousands of pounds each year.
Residents are urged to check that anyone they pay to remove waste is a registered waste carrier, which can be verified via the Environment Agency’s public register.
To stay protected, residents should:
- Ask to see the carrier’s waste licence.
- Keep a receipt or record of who removed the waste.
- Note the registration number of any vehicle used.
- Pay by bank transfer rather than cash to ensure a traceable transaction.
These simple steps help ensure waste is disposed of legally and provide a valid defence if fly-tipped waste is traced back.
For more information and to check a waste carrier, search online via the Environment Agency’s public registers.