RUBBISH RULES
I’m an expert binman… here’s the little-known rule that could land you with £50k fine and jailtime
Read on to find out what measures you can take to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of fly-tipping
AN EXPERT binman has warned Brits of the lesser-known rule which could land them with a £50,000 fine and jail time.
Many people are often subject to fly-tipping on their very own property and end up being the one's who have to pay for it.
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Fly-tipping remains a common issue up and down the UK as people look for quick and effortless ways to get rid of their rubbish.
More often than not, it contains objects and products that can't be wasted at certain places, such as dumps, or be quickly disposed of.
This often leads to high piles of rubbish abandoned in the middle of nowhere - and sometimes on your own property.
And according to John Wheeldon from Wheeldon Brothers, an independent recycling business, this could land you with a hefty fine.
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"Many people don't realise the legal consequences of fly-tipping on private property," he said.
"Under Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, landowners can be fined up to £50,000 and face imprisonment if waste is illegally dumped on their land."
He continued: "One lesser-known rule about fly-tipping is the responsibility landowners have to remove waste that has been dumped on their property.
"If they fail to do so, they can face legal actions, regardless of their involvement in the dumping."
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Just last year alone, a total of £784,923 was paid in fines for fly-tipping, according to Defra figures, from both offenders and victims.
But in order to help prevent more people from falling into the same trap, Wheeldon has encouraged landowners to take extra steps to prevent fly-tipping.
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"This includes implementing security measures like CCTV surveillance and securing access points to discourage potential violators," he said.
The expert also warned that people should be careful when hiring contractors for property maintenance or renovation projects.
"Making sure contractors dispose of waste properly at licensed facilities can reduce the risk of violating fly-tipping laws," Wheeldon explained.
Wheeldon added how actions are required at both local and national levels for the fly-tipping issue is to be resolved.
He suggested that launching initiatives to inform the public about waste disposal laws and enforcement actions is key in tackling this ongoing issue.
Earlier this month, a fuming woman slammed council jobsworths after they fined her £400 when she reported fly-tipping behind her home.
Julie Hancock, from Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, complained about the mounting rubbish behind her house and three months later was slapped with the hefty penalty.
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And in March, it was announced that millions of Brits could be forced to pay £40 to have their rubbish taken away after a huge bin collection change was announced.
Residents living in a dozen council areas have been left fuming over the change to their brown garden waste collections.
Waste collection rules
HOUSEHOLD waste must be disposed of correctly if you are to avoid hefty fines and potential prison sentences.
In the UK, household waste can include:
- your usual household rubbish
- unwanted or unusable items such as old mattresses, furniture or electrical items
- garden waste
- oils and paints
- scrap metal such as old car parts
- septic tank sludge
- DIY waste such as rubble, timber or bricks
Most household waste can go in the bins provided by your local council, but other waste collection services can also be provided.
This includes the collection of recycling, garden waste or food waste, as well as special collections for large waste items such as sofas or fridges.
However, if your local council can't collect your waste, there are a number of options available to you.
You can:
- take your waste to your local recycling centre (or ‘tip’) - find a recycling centre by checking on your council’s website
- take your waste to a permitted private waste site
- use a registered private business that provides a waste collection service - for example, a skip company or household clearance service
- give old electrical items to retailers when you buy new electrical items from them with the same function - for example, you can give a shop your old kettle when you buy a new one
- give away or sell reusable items - for example, by giving items to a charity shop
If you are caught fly-tipping or give your waste to someone who cannot legally take it and you did not do the necessary checks on them, you are at risk of a fixed penalty notice and a fine.
You could even be prosecuted and have to pay a higher penalty if you fail to pay your penalty notice on time or if you’ve previously had a penalty notice for a similar offence.
You can find out more via the Gov.uk website.