Illegal waste carriers

Always carry out checks

Illegal waste carriers will often target householders and businesses through -

  • flyers
  • cold calls
  • social media for example -
    • Facebook
    • Gumtree
    • X - formerly known as Twitter

To lure customers with cheap rates to dispose of wastes. These will often simply illegally dump the waste wherever they can get away with it.

Householders or businesses found to have used illegal waste carriers and whose wastes are illegally disposed can, and are, facing enforcement action -

  • £400 fixed penalty notice
  • prosecution or the recovery of clean-up costs incurred to remove fly tipped waste

To reduce the risk of wastes being illegally disposed by an illegal waste carrier –

  • always make sure who you give your waste to a registered waste carrier. Ask to see an original waste carrier’s licence and check them out with the Environment Agency before doing so 
  • always ask where your waste will be disposed. If they cannot tell you, the likelihood is that it will be illegally disposed of somewhere or taken to our Household Waste and Recycling Sites. These sites are provided only for householders and the waste they have produced, not businesses
  • record as many details as possible. Keep this safe in case we contact you about your wastes being found fly tipped -
    • name
    • contact number of person
    • address if known
    • take a picture of any business card or flyer you received
    • save conversations from social media
    • make a note of any vehicles used to remove your waste. This includes vehicle registration and signage on the vehicle
  • always ask for paperwork known as a waste transfer note from the person who you give your wastes
  • take images on your mobile of the wastes

We would always recommend you do not -

  • use anyone who cold calls you
  • use anyone who refuses to show you their original waste carrier's licence
  • assume persons who advertise in the classifieds, or on social media, are registered waste carriers. It stays your legal responsibility to ensure persons you give your waste to is authorised
  • give your waste to someone whose price is too good to be true, as it probably is. If the waste is then found illegally disposed of as a result of enforcement action, it will result in you paying more than the true cost of disposal

If you are a householder and you need to dispose of waste you have produced where you live, we would always encourage you to dispose or recycle of your waste through the service we provide.

If you intend to pay someone else to remove your waste, make sure they are authorised by the Environment Agency to do so.

You must do this before giving them your waste by -

  • asking to see their original waste carrier’s licence
  • contacting the Environment Agency by -
    • telephone 03708 506 506
    • going online

If you have any concerns a person offering to take your waste is not authorised, or you suspect they may not dispose of your waste correctly, do not give them your waste. Record their details and report this to us using the online form below -

  • name
  • contact numbers
  • business name
  • description of vehicles involved. For example -
    • colour
    • make
    • models