Devon residents urged to check who is taking their green waste
Green waste from around the county tends to be fly-tipped near Plymouth at this time of year. Help stop it by checking the credentials of any waste removers.
Sep 22, The Environment Agency and its partners are concerned about a seasonal trend of green waste fly-tipped near Plymouth and urge people not to be tricked by doorstep conmen into taking away the green waste.
Households in Plymouth, South Hams and West Devon are being asked to quiz people knocking on their doors and offering to take their rubbish away.
Waste carriers, like other licensed trades, are required to register and operate in line with a set of rules that protect the environment and their customers. These rules include disposing of waste in the right place, storing it safely and keeping accurate records of transfer and disposal.
If these traders don’t have a waste carriers’ licence, there is no guarantee rubbish will go to an authorised site. Instead, it could end up dumped on the side of the road or burned in a field, causing environmental damage. And the person who hired the unregistered trader could face a criminal charge.
Kevin Baker of the Environment Agency said:
We want people to take three steps to check whether the collector has a waste carriers’ license from the Environment Agency: ask where the rubbish will end up, don’t pay cash and insist on a receipt, then record the details of the vehicle used to take the rubbish away.
If people suspect criminal activity, they should report it on our hotline 0800 807060 or anonymously through CrimeStoppers on 0800 555111 and give as much detail as possible. Let’s work together to stamp out waste crime and protect our beautiful countryside.
All householders have a duty of care to ensure their waste is disposed of legally. Failing to meet the duty of care means that people could be held responsible if their waste is fly-tipped or otherwise illegally disposed of. If this happens and they have not met their duty of care, they could be fined up to £400. Before hiring someone to remove waste, householders should check their credentials online.
