“Don’t spoil your New Year with a hefty fine for fly tipping!” Pendle Council’s Senior Environmental Crime Officer, David Alexander, is warning local residents. “Now that the festive season is over and the sales are on with bargains for home improvements, people start de-cluttering and getting jobs done around the house,” he said. “This is a timely reminder to people that they have a legal Duty of Care to make sure that none of their DIY waste runs the risk of being fly tipped,” he explained.

“When a plumber or builder or man with a van offers to take your old bathroom suite or kitchen units away for a small charge, they may be dumping your waste illegally,” warned Environmental Crime Officer Jonathan Yurek. “The penalties for fly tipping are steep and anyone found guilty faces an unlimited fine or even a sentence of up to five years in prison,” he said. Over the last 12 months Pendle Council dealt with thousands of fly tips ranging from a couple of bin bags to lorry/trailer loads of waste and has prosecuted businesses and local residents.
Jonathan, who’s appeared on TV’s Dom on the Spot investigating fly tipping said: “If a person fly tips or illegally dumps waste they have collected from your house then you could be prosecuted and fined. “This includes builders or contractors doing work for you who offer to take the waste away as part of their service,” she added.

The advice to local residents getting rid of their waste is to:

1. Make sure the person taking away your waste is registered with the Environment Agency as a waste carrier by checking the register of waste carriers, brokers and dealers on their website https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers
2. Ask where your waste is being taken and get a receipt which includes a description of the waste.
3. Make a note of their vehicle registration number.
   Pendle Council works hard to reduce the risk of fly tipping.
   The Council collects bulky household items, such as large pieces of furniture, cookers or fridge/freezers and charges £10 for up to 10 items and provides an affordable collection service for DIY items with a minimum of charge of £23.25. These include doors, bathroom suites, kitchen units, bricks and rubble with more information on www.pendle/gov.uk/recyclingandrefuse or ring 01282 661743. “And we have two household recycling centres in Barnoldswick and Burnley so there really is no reason to fly tip,” said David.Alexander.
   Pendle Council takes environmental crime seriously and people can report any incidents via www.pendle.gov.uk/envirocrime or by calling (01282) 661743 or contact the Environment Agency on 0800 807060.