Be Vigilant for Waste Crime in Cheshire

Wherever you live, the sight and environmental impact of illegally dumped waste is not something any of us should have to put up with. For many of the criminals who dump this waste, it is far from their worst offence. We know that sinister gangs use seemingly legitimate waste disposal companies, offering residents an affordable way of disposing of unwanted items as a cover for other serious criminal activity.

Most of us think that can’t apply to me. “I organised someone to come to my house and pick up my two mattresses, old sofa and some black bin liners. They seemed legitimate, friendly and assured me that they were disposing of them correctly. I paid them cash and they seemed good value for money.”

It is residents responsibility to check that their waste is disposed of correctly. The fact that you didn’t dump it yourself does not mean to say you are not liable. Giving your rubbish to a ‘man with a van’ who offers to get rid of it cheaply could end up costing you dearly.

With a potential fine of up to £5,000 for illegally dumped waste that can be traced back to you, residents need to be vigilant and ensure they don't accidentally hand their waste over to criminals. That's why the Waste Crime Partnership is encouraging residents to ask three simple questions whenever a company pops up on sites like Facebook and Nextdoor, or knocks on their door offering to take their waste:

* What is your official company name?
* What is your waste permit number?
* Will you be able to provide a waste transfer note?

Any legitimate business should be able to answer these three simple questions. If they can't then residents shouldn't risk a potential £5,000 fine.

You can check if their waste carriers licence is legitimate on this link

https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers

By taking simple precautions we can protect our local communities and make it harder for serious criminals to operate in Cheshire.