Councillor warns residents about bogus waste collectors

South Norfolk Councillor David Bills is warning residents to be on their guard for bogus waste collectors.

The warning comes after reports to South Norfolk Council of unlicensed companies offering to collect people’s unwanted items for cash and then later fly-tipping them.

Cabinet Member for Environment and Health Councillor David Bills said:

“It may seem like a cheap option, but these criminals are blighting our beautiful countryside and costing the tax payer money, as in the end, it’s the Council who has to clear up the mess.“

In 2007/08 over 11,500 incidents of fly-tipping were reported by District Councils in Norfolk, at a cost of nearly £600,000 to clear up, equating to £52 per fly tip. So far this year, there has been 736 reported incidents of fly-tipping in South Norfolk alone.

But it's not just the clean-up cost and the effects to the environment that people should be worried about, using these unlicensed companies could result in legal action.

Councillor Bills said:

“The persistence of our Environmental Crime Team is often underestimated by offenders. Officers go to great lengths to find evidence linking the waste to the offender, including examining bags of rubbish by hand.

”What many people don’t realize is that by using these unlawful companies, they themselves risk prosecution.

“Any company offering to take away waste should be a Registered Waste Carrier and people should ask to see their license. The company should also provide a receipt, which should include the date and time of collection, a description of the waste and a record of where it is being disposed of. If they cannot provide this information, then they could be operating illegally.”

If you suspect you have come across a bogus waste collector then call the Environmental Crime Team on: 0808 168 2999, or ring the Environment Agency on: 0800 807060, with a description of the people involved, a description of the vehicle and ideally the registration number.

Councillor Bills added:

“Figures show that fly-tipping in South Norfolk is down 10% on last year, so our campaign against environmental crime is working, but we cannot rest on our laurels and will continuing our fight to keep South Norfolk clean and green.”

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