Waste: Don’t Get Caught Out!
Following a string of fly tip incidents in recent weeks, residents are reminded to check the legitimacy of any businesses they hire to remove waste from their property.
Businesses that cold call residents to offer waste collection or garden maintenance services are often not legitimate and the waste may be disposed of illegally as a fly tip. Individuals that are not registered to remove waste may also offer such services on social media.
If residents choose to use a business to remove waste from their property or to carry out garden maintenance it is their duty to make sure they are authorised to do so:
- Check that they are a registered waste carrier. If in doubt, residents can telephone the Environment Agency on 03708 506506 or visit their website to check.
- Check where the contractor is proposing to take the waste.
- Make a note of the registration number of any vehicle removing waste from a home.
- Pay by cheque (if possible) and request a receipt for the work carried out.
Householders not taking reasonable measures to check that operators are legitimate waste carriers can be fined an unlimited amount.
Environmental Portfolio Holder, Councillor Graham Stallard, said: “Over the past few weeks Andover has experienced a spate of cold calling which has resulted in large amounts of garden waste being fly tipped in the area. This has been investigated and removed by the Council. I urge all residents to report any cold callers or fly tips. The Council has recently had success in prosecuting fly-tippers in the borough and we will continue to take a zero-tolerance approach to this criminal activity.”
Cold callers can be reported to Hampshire County Council’s Trading Standards on 01962 833620 and any fly tips can be reported to Test Valley Borough Council’s Environmental Service on 01264 368000.