Wiltshire Council issues fines to businesses without commercial waste contracts

A business in Chippenham was issued with a £300 FPN after its owners were unable to produce the correct documentation, known as waste transfer notes, to show that they were lawfully managing their business waste. The council was alerted that the business was fly-tipping business waste in a neighbouring household wheelie bin.

A second business based in Trowbridge was also issued with a £300 FPN as it failed to produce waste transfer notes relating to commercial waste produced at its premises, because it could not demonstrate where the waste was being lawfully disposed.

The council also issued a £300 FPN to a shop fitting business for failing to produce waste transfer notes relating to business waste. This was as a result of an investigation into a fly-tipping offence on a grass verge in Lydiard Tregoze during October 2023.

Each business was given a 14-day statutory notice to produce transfer notes that would evidence how they were legally disposing of their commercial waste, but they all failed to provide the documents.

Cllr Caroline Thomas, Cabinet Member for Transport and Street Scene, said: All commercial traders have a legal duty of care to ensure that their waste is disposed of through the correct waste channels, regardless of how little waste is created.

All businesses, no matter how small, should have a waste contract in place, and it is an offence for any business to dispose of their waste through the household waste channels or at a household recycling centre.

As part of our business plan, we have invested significant sums into tackling fly-tipping, and that's why we have dedicated officers who are authorised to request waste transfer notes from any business to ensure that their waste is disposed of through the correct channels and ultimately not fly-tipped.

All businesses have a legal duty of care to lawfully manage their business waste however small, and they must keep all transfer notes for a legal period of two years in case they are asked to produce them - or they could face a fixed penalty notice.

All three businesses that were issued with FPNs cannot be named as it is not a conviction in an open court.