Warning against illegal waste carriers
Residents are being urged to check the paperwork of people offering to dispose of bulky waste from their homes to avoid a £250 fine and help tackle fly-tipping.
People should not hire unlicensed waste carriers to dispose of their rubbish.
In many cases, the waste is dumped illegally but the person who hired the rogue trader is also liable for a £250 fine.
This year Dudley Council has spent more than £94,000 cleaning up fly-tipping.
Dudley Council waste bosses say people should only hire legitimate businesses to dispose of their waste and should always check they have a licence to carry waste from the Environment Agency.
They also say these simple checks will also help cut the cases of fly-tipping in the borough.
Councillor Shaz Saleem, cabinet member for highways and public realm, said:
We have had instances where people hire these rogue traders from Facebook and other public sites but all that happens is the waste is dumped somewhere in the borough. Not only do we make every effort to catch the company and prosecute them, the person who hired them is also liable for a fine for failing to ensure they are licensed. The annual cost to the taxpayer to clean up the fly-tipping is simply unacceptable and we all have a duty to help tackle the problem. People can also take advantage of the tip in Stourbridge and the pop-up tip at Lister Road, Dudley, so there really is no excuse for risking a fine.
For more information on council tips visit www.dudley.gov.uk/residents/bins-and-recycling/household-waste-recycling-centre
The council is also asking for the public’s help in catching fly-tippers as part of its You’ve Been Shamed initiative. People are being asked to help identify fly-tippers caught on camera and shared online at www.dudley.gov.uk/youve-been-shamed
For more on waste carrying licensing visit the Environment Agency’s website