After loading up a skip, paying for the service, and having the company take your waste on the back of a truck, your job is not over. Many homeowners across the UK are now receiving fly-tipping fines. Learn all about these and how to prevent this from happening to you here:

What is Fly Tipping?

‘Fly-tipping’ is the term to describe the illegal dumping of any kind of waste onto land that does not belong to you. It generally refers to any waste moved by an unauthorized carrier method.
Remember, all land belongs to someone, and it is illegal to dump waste without the owner’s permission.

Skip Hire Firms Hit the News

In recent months, homeowners across the country are receiving warnings against falling for illegitimate waste removal companies who primarily advertise their services on social media or door-to-door. Many of these companies may appear professional, but they are illegally dumping homeowners’ waste on the streets or in the countryside. And it’s not the companies that are being penalized!

If your waste can be traced back to you, perhaps through old bills or receipts, you will incur the prosecuting fees for the fly-tipping even though you were unaware of the circumstances. These fines can reach up to £5,000 and leave you with a criminal record.

So, why is the homeowner liable?

Well, you are still responsible for all waste even though it has left your property. Ignorance is not a reasonable response if you fail to run the appropriate checks on a waste removal service. One gentleman from South London paid a service provider to remove his rubbish, yet, even though he picked up the waste when he learned it had been fly-tipped, he was fined £670 in fines and prosecution costs.

How Can You Ensure Your Waste is Disposed of Correctly

In order to avoid fines and prosecution costs, you must ensure that the skip hire company is authorized. That way, they dispose of all waste correctly. To do this, you can:

Ensure the company has a landline phone number and traceable business address.
Ask friends and family members for recommendations of skip-hire services they have used in the past.
Ensure the company has a waste carrier license. You can do this by accessing the public register for environmental information.
Request to see what other accreditations or licenses the firm holds.
Visit the waste recycling/disposal plant for a tour around the premises to learn how they dispose of it correctly.
Check if it holds any valid awards for good service.
Research if it belongs to any unions or associations.

So, the next time you require the services of a skip hire company, do your research. Otherwise, you may end up with an unexpected fine on your doormat. For an accredited and award-winning skip hire and waste management service that sees more than 96% of all waste recycled, contact GD Environmental. Or why not pop by and tour one of its recycling stations? Learn more online here or call 01633 277755.

(images: Simon Carey and Michael Fox under CC BY-SA 2.0)