Wiltshire residents are being urged to do their bit to help prevent fly-tipping and avoid possible prosecution by checking the credentials of businesses offering to remove waste from their properties.
From June to November this year 949 fly-tipping incidents were reported across Wiltshire, averaging 160 a month.
In response Wiltshire Council enforcement officers have issued 92 warning letters, 117 statutory notices, 48 fixed penalty notices and carried out 24 prosecutions.
Rogue traders often dump construction and garden waste on the highway rather than pay business rates to have it disposed of properly.
Householders are legally obliged to check whoever they give their waste to is authorised to collect, carry and dispose of it lawfully. If the waste is fly-tipped the householders could be prosecuted as well as the person who illegally tipped the waste under the Environmental Protection Act (1990).
Residents are encouraged to check if someone is a registered waste carrier by going online at www.gov.uk/find-regis tered-waste-carrier, emailing: enquiries@environ ment-agency.gov.uk or by calling 03708 506 506.
Cabinet member for highways John Thomson said, “We’re asking householders to say no to rogue traders who offer to take away waste only for them to dump it in the countryside. By carrying out a simple check you can make sure you are dealing with a registered business and avoid problems further down the line.”
Wiltshire Council provides services for the kerbside collection of garden waste, recyclable materials and non-recycled waste and a chargeable service for the collection of bulky household items. The council also has a number of household recycling centres across the county for a wider range of household waste.
If people have any problems with the disposal of waste they can obtain more information by calling Wiltshire Council on 0300 456 0102 or by looking on the council’s website at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/rub bishandrecycling
If people have any information they would like to pass to Wiltshire Council about fly-tipped waste they can call 0300 456 0100 or email Envi ronmentalEnforcement@wiltshire.gov.uk
