Lincolnshire households urged not to become accidental criminals
Facebook users in Lincolnshire that use unregistered waste carriers could find themselves ‘accidental criminals’, warns the Environment Agency.
Across Lincolnshire the Environment Agency, police, all local authorities, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and HM Revenue and Customs are taking robust action together under Operation Clean Sweep. We are conducting road side stops and inspections of any vehicle capable of carrying waste, large and small. We are simultaneously visiting known and suspected waste crime locations. If a carrier is found to be carrying or depositing waste unlawfully action will be taken by us and our partners. Action can also be taken against the householder or business producing the waste.
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 require them to dispose of waste in the right place, store it safely and keep accurate records of its transfer and disposal.
Registered waste carriers in Lincolnshire have become concerned about the number of ‘man and van’ adverts and self-promotion on Facebook and other social media platforms offering to take away people’s rubbish.
If these traders don’t have a waste carrier’s licence, there is no guarantee rubbish will be disposed of safely and responsibly at an authorised site. Instead, it could end up dumped on the side of the road or burned in a field. What’s more, because the person who created the rubbish is legally responsible for it, it is they who could face criminal charges.
Stuart Hoyle of the Environment Agency said:
Rogue traders using social media to con people into parting with their waste cheaply are the new door steppers. People are then discovering their waste has been fly-tipped in a country lane or beside the road. These illegal waste carriers undermine legitimate businesses, by undercutting their prices and then blighting the environment.
We want people to take 5 steps to check whether the collector has a waste carrier’s licence from the Environment Agency: suspect all waste carriers; check with the Environment Agency website or call 03708 506 506 that the provider taking your waste away is licensed; refuse unexpected offers to have waste taken away; ask what will happen to your waste and where it is going; obtain paperwork and get a full receipt.
If people suspect criminal activity, they should report it on our national incident hotline 0800 807060 or anonymously through CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111 and give as much detail as possible. Let’s work together to stamp out waste crime and protect our beautiful countryside.
Everyone has a duty of care to ensure their waste is disposed of legally. Failing to meet that 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, check their credentials online, on our Public Register.