Buckinghamshire Council is teaming up with neighbouring Slough Borough Council and Hillingdon Council to reduce the amount of rubbish that is fly-tipped with one simple message - don’t pay cash to get rid of your trash.
Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of rubbish, whether it's a single bag or a vehicle load of rubbish. It is a criminal offence and punishable by an unlimited fine or imprisonment.
Residents are especially being warned not to pay people in cash to get rid of their rubbish because if it’s your rubbish that’s illegally dumped, you could be the one who ends up being issued with a £400 fixed penalty notice for failing in your ‘duty of care’.
If the incident is serious, this might rise to a court summons that could result in a criminal conviction and a big fine.
Electronic payments mean fly-tipping can be traced back to the criminal waste carriers who don’t want to risk an unlimited fine or even prison time.
Gareth Williams, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment for Buckinghamshire Council, said: "If you've had a clear-out, have DIY rubbish, or have a large item like a fridge or mattress to get rid of, paying someone 'cash-in-hand' means your rubbish is far more likely to end up fly-tipped.
"A legitimate waste carrier must pay a commercial tip when they want to dispose of rubbish. An anonymous 'man with a van' is keen to avoid the disposal charge – by dumping your rubbish in the countryside.
"Use a company that has a Waste Carrier Licence, and ask for a record of who you've paid. By having an electronic method of payment, criminals are put off fly-tipping, and they are much easier to track down and prosecute if they do."
Mohammed Nazir, Cabinet Member for Transport and the Local Environment for Slough Borough Council, added: "There is a lot of cross-border fly-tipping going on and we are delighted to be working with Buckinghamshire Council to share the message against paying cash to get rid of unwanted rubbish. Fly-tipping is not acceptable behaviour, whether in your own borough, or a neighbouring one.”
If you’re unsure of how to make sure you’re doing the right thing when someone is taking away your rubbish, Buckinghamshire Councils' S.C.R.A.P. fly-tipping campaign code is a useful tool.
Find out more about helping in the fight against fly-tipping on Buckinghamshire Council's website.
Report fly-tipping in Buckinghamshire here.
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