Council enforcement officers issue warning over bogus waste collectors

All too often the collected rubbish ends up dumped on the side of the road. Photo courtesy of East Riding of Yorkshire Council

Residents and businesses across the East Riding are being urged not to fall victim to bogus waste collectors.

The festive period and early New Year can see a rise in criminals calling door to door – or advertising more on social media – offering to take people’s rubbish away, sometimes at a cheap price.

It can be more tempting to accept offers at this time of year, because of the increase in waste after Christmas and New Year events. However, all too often, the rubbish ends up dumped at the side of the road.

Enforcement officers at Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council have joined forces to encourage residents and businesses to do the right thing and say ‘no’ to bogus collectors – and instead dispose of their rubbish properly and lawfully.

Residents and businesses have a legal ‘duty of care’ to make sure their waste is disposed of correctly – either in household bins, taken to household waste recycling sites or given to registered waste collectors.

If any dumped waste can be traced back to the owner, residents themselves could be the ones facing large fines – from a £400 fixed penalty, to an unlimited fine or even a prison sentence as well as being ordered to pay clean-up costs.

Residents are urged to ask for waste carrier registration details and verify them by checking the online register at https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register or by calling the Environment Agency on 03708 506 506. People are also asked to note down the registration number of the vehicle used to clear the waste.

Cllr Chris Matthew, portfolio holder for environment and climate change at East Riding of Yorkshire Council said: “We are urging residents and businesses to follow this advice because we don’t want people to fall foul of bogus collectors.

“There can be a rise in this activity during the holidays with unsolicited collectors cold-calling or advertising their services on social media, so please be vigilant.

“Both councils take a tough stance on fly-tipping and we will continue to investigate every report we receive – but we need the public’s help to stop fly-tipping from happening.”