Residents in Basingstoke and Deane are being urged to check that anyone they pay to remove their rubbish is properly licensed, following five successful prosecutions over the past year.
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council says residents have a legal duty of care when arranging for waste to be removed. In the five cases, waste including building materials, furniture, household items and garden waste was later found fly-tipped elsewhere in the borough.
Those involved faced fines and clean-up costs running into hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of pounds.
Residents remain responsible for their waste until it has been handed over to a licensed waste carrier. Before hiring someone, the council recommends asking to see their waste carrier licence, getting a written quote and checking where the waste will be taken and how it will be disposed of.
People are also being warned to take extra care when dealing with individuals offering waste removal services door-to-door or advertising through social media groups.
The Environment Agency has an online register which allows residents to check whether a business is registered as a licensed waste carrier. If a carrier does not appear on the register, they could be operating illegally.
Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services and Housing, Councillor Laura James, said residents should ask questions before employing anyone to remove their waste.
Photo: A recent fly-tip in Mortimer, courtesy of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.
She said: “We are all responsible for making sure our waste is disposed of correctly. If you don’t know who is taking your waste or where it is ending up, you could be held responsible if it is fly-tipped and may face prosecution and a criminal record.
“Be curious and ask questions before employing someone to remove your waste. Any legitimate business will be happy to explain how it operates and where the waste will be taken. What may seem like a cheap option to dispose of your waste at the time could turn out to be extremely costly.”
Residents looking for a reputable waste carrier can use services such as Checkatrade or Buy With Confidence.
The council also offers a chargeable bulky waste collection service, with concessions available for eligible residents receiving benefits.