South Wiltshire residents issued fixed penalty notices for fly-tipping and waste duty of care failure

A Wilton resident was been issued with a £400 fixed penalty notice for failing in their household waste duty of care. This resident passed their waste on for cash to people who ended up fly-tipping the waste.

No checks were conducted on the people who removed the waste and the resident could not provide any information on who they passed the waste to. The waste was found dumped near Quidhampton.

Meanwhile, a Salisbury resident has been issued with a £400 fixed penalty notice for fly-tipping after admitting the offence. The waste was fly-tipped near Salisbury Racecourse and after an investigation revealed evidence of the offender, they admitted the offence during an interview under caution with council officers.

Cllr Bridget Wayman, Cabinet Member for Transport, Highways and Waste, said: "Fixed penalty notices are a vital tool that helps us clamp down on this illegal activity in Wiltshire and encourage residents to make all the necessary checks.

"Residents and businesses have a duty of care in ensuring their waste is disposed of properly and legally. People should be wary about using a 'man with a van' or similar adverts on social media to dispose of waste without making all the necessary checks.

"Always write down the waste carrier's licence number, vehicle details including registration and vehicle description, and ask for a receipt. If they cannot provide any information, do not use them as they may fly-tip your waste."

Householders and businesses have a duty of care under the Environmental Protection Act to ensure that their waste is transferred only to authorised persons. To prevent waste being fly-tipped they need to:

• Check that the person they pass their waste to is an authorised carrier by visiting  Register of waste carriers, brokers and dealers (opens new window) or by calling the Environment Agency on 03708 506506.
• Check that the person who is taking the waste has an upper tier waste carriers license to take waste or scrap metal collectors licence, issued by Wiltshire Council to take any scrap a metal.
• Note the registration number of any vehicle taking the waste away.
• Ask for a receipt detailing where the waste is going, information about the transportation vehicle and the carrier's authorisation number. This is a legal obligation for businesses, but householders are also advised to request this information.
• Residents can report fly tipping online by visiting: My Wilts online reporting or calling 0300 456 0100.
• Residents can report waste collectors who they suspect of being unlicensed online by visiting My Wilts online reporting or calling 0300 456 0100.