Tag: illegal dumping

Don’t let your festive clear out turn into fly-tipping

Householders across Scotland are being reminded not to let their festive clear outs add to waste crime by inadvertently giving their waste to criminals.

From unregistered individuals with a van advertising on social media, to serious and organised crime gangs, criminals see waste as a money-making enterprise and Scots could be unknowingly adding to the problem.  

The landfill tax for household waste is currently £102.10 per tonne (for standard rate), and legitimate operators need to pay for permits and infrastructure, amongst other overheads, to operate environmentally sound sites that are compliant with regulations.

Waste dumped illegally in laybys, rural locations or holes in the ground instead of being recycled or disposed of in the correct manner means criminals are avoiding having to pay the costs a legal operator has to. Instead, the cost to clean-up abandoned waste is usually left to local authorities or landowners.  

Additionally, waste dumped or burned means the opportunity for recycling or re-use of valuable materials could be lost.

Out of sight not out of mind 

Criminals are resourceful, inventive and will find new ways to break the law – especially with a cash incentive. This includes amongst others – flytipping, burying waste in fields, burning of waste, cramming it into warehouses and even 40ft old HGV trailers.

Jennifer Shearer, SEPA’s Head of Enforcement said:  “Illegal operators often hide what they plan to do with waste they collect, which can lead to fly-tipping in communities or large-scale disposal on private land. The first line of defence is stopping criminals getting their hands on waste in the first place.

“Services that sound too good to be true often are – and could lead to your waste being illegally fly-tipped. If you’re planning a clear out, you can help tackle waste crime by refusing to engage the services of people that are not authorised.

“Remember, if they dispose of it illegally and we can trace the waste back to you – you can be held to account and prosecuted or fined as well. A legitimate operator should be able to tell you their SEPA waste carrier licence number and the exact location your waste will be taken to. If they won’t provide those two pieces of information don’t give them your waste.”

Don’t support waste crime  

Top four Dos and Don’ts of Household Waste Disposal 

DO use common sense. If you are approached out of the blue with an offer to dispose of your waste so quickly and cheaply it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.  

DON’T entrust your waste to someone if they are unable to tell you basic information like their waste carrier registration number and the named site they are taking the waste to.  

DO take responsibility for who you give waste to – if illegally disposed of waste is traced back to you then you could face enforcement action too. 

DO check that the company you are thinking of hiring to remove your waste is registered with SEPA  

Landowners must be alert to the risk of their land or premises being used for illegal waste deposits and trailer or vehicle owners should also be aware of the risk of theft for use in illegal waste disposal activities.  

Report suspicious sites and behaviours to SEPA 24 hours a day, seven days a week through our pollution hotline online or by calling 0800 80 70 60.  

Community Council to act on fly tipping

Don’t Dump in Drylaw!

Drylaw Telford Community Council held their first meeting since lockdown last week.

Social distancing has made it impossible to hold normal public meetings, so Wednesday’s Zoom meeting was an opportunity to catch up and discuss the most pressing issues affecting the area.

Top of the agenda was fly tipping: illegal dumping is blighting the area, with hotspots in Wester Drylaw particularly affected. The community council plans to work with the local Neighbourhood team to address the issue over the coming weeks.

Problems associated with parking at Drylaw Shopping Centre were also discussed.

Zoom meetings are not to everyone’s taste, and it’s hoped that further relaxation in social distancing rules could see September’s community council meeting being a ‘new normal’ one in a community facility!

SEPA cracks down on illegal dumpers advertising on social media

  • SEPA enforcement team targets criminals and chancers using social media to sell illegal waste services
  • Regulator reminds waste companies that compliance with the law is non-negotiable
  • Illegal operators contributing to fly-tipping and other illegal waste activity
  • Public are reminded – don’t engage the services of people who are not authorised

Chancers advertising illegal waste collections on social media sites are being targeted by Scotland’s environmental regulator in a new digital clampdown.

Household recycling centres are now open but many have restrictions in place – and people may still have bulky items and excess waste that cannot be transported. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is warning those trying to make a quick buck from the current situation by operating illegally that they are firmly in the spotlight, and that direct warnings would be sent to those not registered with SEPA placing adverts – with fines of up to £5,000 for non-compliance.

SEPA’s specialist enforcement team has been working alongside partners Police Scotland, Zero Waste Scotland and local authorities throughout the lockdown period to tackle waste crime across Scotland.

These specialist officers are monitoring sites like Facebook and Gumtree to catch waste criminals as part of a wider effort to deter illegal activity across the waste management chain. SEPA is very clear that those who deliberately flout the rules will face the uncompromising regulator their behaviour deserves.

Jennifer Shearer, Head of Enforcement at the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, said: “We know that illegal activity places further stress on legitimate operators – especially where services are being pushed through social media and other channels.

“Through our monitoring of social media we’ve unfortunately seen a number of instances of couriers and so-called white van men taking the opportunity to offer an unauthorised waste collection service and then often dumping in public spaces or remote parts of countryside – creating an unsafe environmental hazard and an eyesore for the local community.

“Having witnessed an increase in adverts of this kind in recent months, our digital disruption is designed to take those operating illegally, out of the market.”

Where enforcement officers identify that adverts and messages are being distributed by carriers not registered with SEPA, they will make contact to warn them that they are operating illegally. If they do not apply for a registration or stop activities, SEPA will take enforcement action which could see them subjected to fines or criminal prosecution.

There is also an important role for the public, with a warning that the use of unlicensed waste collectors could result in waste contributing to fly-tipping and other illegal activity.

“Don’t engage the services of people who are not authorised,” Shearer explains. “Remember, services that sound too good to be true often are, and could lead to your waste being illegally fly-tipped or disposed of by other illegitimate means.

“Anyone offering to take your waste away should be able to provide a waste carrier registration number and tell you the named facility they will take the waste to – if they can’t provide this information, don’t allow them to take your waste.  

“Now more than ever, Scots are recognising the importance of local services like recycling and the part we all play in correctly managing our waste. You have the responsibility to take care of your waste and if we trace it back to you we can take enforcement action against you too. We don’t want people to be put in that situation so make sure that anyone who takes your waste for disposal is properly accredited.”

Roseanna Cunningham, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, added: “We owe a massive thank you to all those in the waste industry who are working hard to keep services running in challenging circumstances. Illegal activities such as flytipping adds to the burden of those who continue to deliver essential services.

“SEPA has a vital role in regulating and monitoring waste carrier services and I welcome the proactive approach they are taking to target unregistered waste businesses. It is vital that individuals take responsibility for checking that the waste carrier they use is registered and will dispose of waste correctly.”

Visiting the new website – managingourwaste.scot – from SEPA, Zero Waste Scotland and partners, you will find updates and advice on how to manage waste.  As part of Scotland’s campaign to help manage waste during current restrictions the site also explains how you can help to tackle fly-tipping. SEPA is also offering support to help those managing our waste operate against the challenges of coronavirus.  

Top 3 Do’s and Don’ts of Household Waste Disposal

  1. DO use common sense. If you are approached out of the blue with an offer to dispose of your waste so quickly and cheaply is sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
  2. DON’T entrust your waste with someone if they are unable to tell you basic information like their waste carrier registration number and the named site they are taking the waste to.
  3. DO take responsibility for who you give waste to – if we trace illegally disposed of waste back to you then you could be liable for enforcement action too.