From the Surrey County Council to your next-door neighbour, we think that everyone would agree that fly tipping in the UK has got much worse over the past five years.
This article is written for residents of Surrey who are looking to avoid breaking any laws and avoiding any fines and want to disclose of the rubbish both ethically and responsibly.
What is fly tipping?
In the UK, fly tipping is the illegal dumping of waste, which includes everything from builders’ rubbish and rubble to mattresses, TVs, and washing machines in an area not designated for waste disposal. Report fly tipping in your area here. Surrey Environment Partnership.
Why does it happen
The reason why companies dump rubbish and the side of the road is that the vast majority of Surrey dumps have increased their trade waste disposal prices to such an extent that it is tempting for some cowboy operators to dump rubbish at the side of the road, and the council can’t pick it up. It saves all the hassle and money of paying fees. You may have noticed you are in a dump that now charges builders’ rubbish fees to be removed from the county.
What is the law?
The Environmental Protection Act 1990 makes the dumping of any waste onto land without a licence an offence. Can I be fined? The law allows for hefty penalties, including fines of up to or exceeding £50,000. Similar to parking offences there are FPNs for the more minor incidents fly tipping. It is also possible to be handed a prison sentence of up to 5 years.
However, it is rarely the people who dump the waste who are fined. Dumping rubbish in the side of the road from the back of a van or lorry is a very quick exercise and often done at night. Whether fines are issued depends on whether the police can identify the person who dumped the rubbish. Should your electrical device or your rubbish contain your name and address, then you could be liable for up to 60 months in prison.
How to avoid being fined yourself
Envi Recycle have an environmental licence to remove waste. If you are using a company who offer to take away your rubbish to the dump, then you must insist on seeing their licence if there are reputable companies that would be more than happy to show it to you. If the company doesn’t have a licence, you are taking the risk of ending up with a Surrey Council environmental officer coming to your door and issuing you with the equivalent of a parking ticket with a more hefty fine.
Our number is Registered Waste Carriers CBDU 501166. You can be assured that not only is your waste disposed of responsibly we will try and recycle as much of your rubbish as possible. Contact us here for a price on your rubbish.
