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Getting rid of waste. Do you know your responsibilities? (NCC release)

Community Protection's Environmental Health team are reminding Nottingham residents and business owners about their responsibilities when getting rid of household, business or building waste.

Councillor Katrina Bull, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Climate Change said:

Many people don't realise that the responsibility lies with the resident or business owner. If a person or business approaches you and offers to get rid of your waste, it is your responsibility to ensure that they hold a current Waste Carrier's Licence. We have seen many cases where a person has paid a fixed amount for their waste to be collected and this then ends up fly-tipped a few miles away. It is then the resident or business owner who is prosecuted and not the waste carrier. The maximum penalty for fly-tipping is £50k and/or a prison sentence.

The team offers the following advice:

• Always make sure you get the name and address of the person or company who is collecting your waste.
• Always ensure you see a valid waste carriers licence and where possible, take a photocopy. If you don't have access to a photocopier, take a photo.

Councillor Bull said:

Householders must take reasonable measures to ensure that their household waste produced on their property is transferred only to an authorised person. This could affect you if, for example, you have hired builders, gardeners or scrap metal merchants who take materials away from your house. If these materials get fly-tipped, you can be held responsible and are liable to get fined. If fly-tipped waste is traced back to your property you can be fined up to £5,000.

If your contractor is not registered, you should refuse their services and request they seek advice from the Environment Agency.

Councillor Bull added:

We know that many people pay for their waste to be collected, believing they are acting responsibly. Hopefully this message will encourage more people to ensure that they are checking the credentials of those disposing of their waste.

If you are in any doubt about whether someone is licensed, you can check by ringing the Environment Agency on 08708 506 506 or visiting www.environment-agency.gov.uk

(Friday 28 Jan 09:00:00 GMT)

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