Posted on 6th September 2019 by Hintons
Those who produce household waste will automatically take responsibility for its safe and appropriate disposal. This means that the correct measures must be taken to ensure that your waste is removed and disposed of within the parameters of the law and by a registered contractor who is licenced to collect it.
In this article, we’ll be outlining the importance of hiring a registered waste carrier, along with some advice as to how to go about it. Don’t get caught out – ensure your rubbish is disposed of safely and responsibly by the right people with adequate resources.
Why does my waste carrier have to be registered?
Your waste carrier must be registered to prevent fly tipping. If an unauthorised contractor removes your waste, it could be disposed of illegally. If this happens, the police or local authority will be able to track the waste back to your property where you’re likely to be fined £5,000 and given a criminal record. Unless you can provide evidence that another person was paid to dispose of your waste, you could end up being prosecuted.
Before allowing a contractor to remove and dispose of your waste, you can demand to be presented with a Waste Carriers Licence. Legitimate, authorised waste carriers will be registered, therefore, they’ll have a certificate to prove it. It’s important to note that one certificate is valid for three years. If they have committed an offence, such as fly-tipping, the certificate can be revoked and they will no longer be registered to remove and dispose of waste.
To check if a company holds a Waste Carriers Licence, visit the Environment Agency website.
Tips for hiring a registered waste carrier
It’s always best to follow the SCRAP code when hiring waste carriers:
S – Suspect. Be suspicious of cold callers.
C – Check. Ask to see their waste carrier registration details.
R – Refuse. Reject cold callers offering to remove your waste.
A – Ask. Question what will happen to your waste.
P – Paperwork. Ask to see all relevant paperwork, including a waste transfer note.
We have provided a few more, in depth hints and tips to ensure you’re hiring a legitimate and responsible waste carrier:
Reject the services of unexpected cold callers
Don’t hand over your waste to cold callers and reject promises to take your waste there and then. Instead, check online for registered waste carriers and ring around for quotes. Then set a date and approximate time for the company to take your waste away. If you didn’t call them, then don’t hand over your rubbish or any money.
Conduct background checks
You can ask for evidence of the carrier’s business address. If local, perhaps check that the location actually exists – rogue traders will often give out false details, thus making them harder to trace in the long run. If you find an address is non-existent, you can report this to the Environment Agency.
Avoid mobile-only methods of contact
Pay-as-you-go mobiles can be disposed of incredibly easily, making it difficult to track the number and its user. If they’re deliberately taking steps to limit their chances of being traced, it’s best to steer clear.
Ask questions
You have a duty of care and a responsibility to find out where your waste will be going and how it will be disposed of, you can even ask the waste carrier for evidence of this if you wish. However, be wary of contradictory or unusually vague answers. For extra peace of mind, ask to see permits for disposal sites, or ask the Environment Agency for advice.
Get a reasonable price
Registered waste carriers will always charge a fair and reasonable amount that won’t break the bank. However, illegitimate waste carriers will offer you a price that will be extraordinarily low. Licensed contractors will always charge more, this money goes towards the maintenance of our vehicles, paying our hardworking employees and for the upkeep of our waste management facilities.
Don’t judge a company by its advert
Regardless of how they’re advertising their services, background checks should still be done. Newspaper adverts are relatively cheap, and telephone directories aren’t always reliable when it comes to identifying legitimate businesses. It’s important that you still carry out the relevant checks on the company, for absolute peace of mind.
Take a note of vehicle registration numbers
Always record the registration number of the vehicle that will be taking your waste away. In the event that your waste has been fly-tipped, you can pass on this information to investigators – this will help to track down and identify the culprits. It would also be worth noting a brief description of the vehicle, too.
Furthermore, you could always make the carrier aware that you’re noting down this information. This may minimise the likelihood that your waste will be fly-tipped, as they’ll then be aware that they can be easily traced.
Avoid cash in hand payments
You must ensure that you’re properly invoiced for their services. For larger or more regular contracts, you may want to check that your waste was disposed of lawfully before paying any bills.
If you have some waste that needs collecting, but are still on the hunt for a registered, safe and responsible waste carrier, then look no further than Hinton’s Waste. Our team of experts will always be on hand to help, whilst also being able to produce the relevant paperwork which proves our absolute legitimacy. We will take your waste to our recycling facility, where over 90% of it will be recycled. For more information about our waste management and skip hire services and waste and rubbish clearance, then get in touch with us today – we operate throughout Croydon, Sutton, London and the surrounding areas.