The team stopped and checked 16 waste carriers and commercial vehicles, giving advice about the waste duty of care regulations.  11 of the vehicles were carrying waste and, while 9 held a waste carrier registration, 2 were found to be carrying waste but were not registered.  Advice was provided to the drivers to register, and enforcement action is now being considered.

With the Easter spring clean on the horizon, the Environment Agency is reminding anyone looking for someone to take away their home or garden rubbish to check they are registered to do so. They should also ask where the carrier intends to take the waste and make sure they have been provided with a waste transfer note, as required under the waste duty of care regulations.

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said:

We are dedicated to stamping out waste crime, but it is an ongoing battle against criminals who seek ways to undercut legitimate businesses at the expense of the environment.

Waste operators, including carriers, brokers and dealers, have to be registered to carry waste. However, there are those who operate illegally without being registered.

We all create waste, and we all have a responsibility to ensure our waste is handled legally and correctly so it doesn’t cause harm to human health or pollution to the environment.

Our advice to homeowners and businesses is to check someone is registered to take your waste away, by asking for the waste carrier’s permit number and confirming that it is listed in the register of waste carriers, brokers and dealers. You could be breaking the law and be at risk of prosecution if your waste isn’t managed properly.

To report any waste crime or a company is operating illegally, call the Environment Agency 24/7 on 0800 807060 or report it anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Check your waste collector is a registered carrier before you use them: https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers.

Notes to editors

• You could be breaking the law if your waste isn’t managed properly. Visit Right Waste Right Place to help you comply with the law. You can also refer to the Defra Waste Duty of Care code of practice.
• Check a waste carrier, broker or dealer is registered before you use them: https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers
• During the period 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021, the Environment Agency found 621 new illegal waste sites and stopped illegal waste activity at 722 sites. At the end of March 2021, 470 known illegal waste sites were still active. We also dealt with 151 incidents of illegal large-scale dumping in the financial year 2020 to 2021.