Did you know you can be fined for handing your waste to an unlicensed waste disposal operator, who then goes on to fly tip the items?
Unfortunately, one Knowsley resident was recently prosecuted and fined £274 for such an offence.
Around 12 bin bags of household waste were handed over by the resident to an unlicensed waste disposal operator who then unlawfully dumped the waste on green space.
At this time of year, residents may be having a post-Christmas clear out. However, if you hand over your old sofas, broken washing machines, burst mattresses or bags of waste to an unlicensed waste carrier, it’s possible they’ll illegally fly tip the waste.
And it’s the householder who could face an unlimited fine for failing to dispose of their waste responsibly by hiring an unauthorised waste carrier. Read more about your waste disposal responsibilities here.
Cllr Shelley Powell, Knowsley’s Cabinet member for Communities and Neighbourhoods said: “Fly tipping is a blight on our communities and has serious environmental consequences. Therefore, as a local authority we can and will fine householders who haven’t taken the responsible steps to ensure their waste is passed to an authorised waste carrier. We urge residents to remind themselves of their household waste disposal responsibilities and avoid being fined.”
Householders using private contractors to remove household, garden or construction waste must make sure the company or individual is a registered waste carrier. You are advised to:
- Ask the person who collects your waste to see their registration – it should start with CBDU, followed by a set of numbers. Take a photo if possible.
- Ring the Environment Agency on 03708 506506 to check their credentials or visit their website: https://www.gov.uk/find-registered-waste-carrier
- Ask where they’re proposing to take your waste and if they have a waste transfer note.
- Don’t pay cash. Ask for an invoice and pay by a secure payment method or cheque, so payments can be traced if the waste is fly tipped.
- If it sounds too good to be true it probably is. If you’re hiring a skip, the average cost should be around £150.
- Never agree to cold callers offering any type of home improvements work, roofing, gardening services, tree surgery or household waste removal.
- Not checking if you’re hiring a registered operator could be more expensive in the long run, as householders can face an unlimited fine for failing to hire an authorised waste carrier.
You can expect to see a ‘Waste Carrier Registration’ for these types of businesses:
- All building and associated trades;
- Landscape gardeners, tree fellers and surgeons;
- House clearers;
- Retail establishments and;
- Scrap metal dealers.
Residents can also dispose of their waste at Knowsley’s two Household Recycling and Waste Centres run by the Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority at Wilson Road, Huyton and Depot Road, Kirkby. Find out more by visiting their website https://www.merseysidewda.gov.uk/
Alternatively, Knowsley Council also operate a Bulky Waste collection service. Find out more here.
Report it
If you see an incident of fly tipping in Knowsley please report it here so our Environmental Health team can clear it and investigate.