Council checking up on Derbyshire businesses in fly tipping clampdown

Council chiefs say the authority is stepping up checks on businesses to prove how they dispose of their waste.

Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, businesses have a legal responsibility to pay for waste generated and must keep waste transfer notes for a period of up to two years.

Councillor Charlotte Cupit, Cabinet member for the Environment said: “We take enviro-crime and fly tipping extremely seriously.

"We are actively working with businesses in the District to ensure they are compliant with the law, understand what is expected from them and are operating correctly.

"We will not tolerate any business that doesn’t comply with the law and not disposing of waste correctly. Businesses must ensure they take responsibility for their actions and ensure waste is disposed correctly”.

Chesterfield residents face £250 fines if they don't ensure their waste is disposed of correctly under new law changesOfficers may ask the business to produce waste transfer notes to prove that there are proper arrangements in place (an annual contract or individual receipts which describe what was collected and who collected it) for the correct disposal of waste.

If a business is unable to produce waste transfer notes it may be liable for a £300 fixed penalty.

Businesses must always comply with the law and must not:

• Take waste home and dispose of it with domestic waste

• Take it to the domestic/household waste facility (local tip) and dispose of it with household waste

• Allow an unauthorised person(s) to collect it and dispose of it without providing your business with a waste transfer note.

• Burn the waste.

The Council operates a waste collection service for businesses as well as commercial waste operators. To enquire about the Council’s commercial waste collection service or for further information and advice call 01246 231111.