Illegal waste carriers face court action after Gravesham roadside enforcement operation

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The Crackdown Details

Three forces joined up for this one. Gravesham Borough Council, Kent Police Roads Policing Unit and local Gravesham officers all pitched in to identify operators without valid Environment Agency waste carrier licences – or those failing to meet waste duty of care requirements.

Non-compliant operators face prosecution. Vehicle seizure too. The Environment Agency has already seized vehicles during similar road stop operations in Dartford and Gravesham where operators lacked proper licensing.

Your Legal Responsibilities

Check your waste collector’s credentials.

Residents must verify that anyone removing their waste holds a valid Environment Agency waste carrier’s permit. You need written proof through a waste transfer note showing legal disposal. But householders and businesses can face prosecution themselves if they fail to ensure legal waste disposal. This means hefty fines and criminal convictions under waste duty of care law.

The law requires anyone transporting, buying, selling or disposing of waste commercially to register with the Environment Agency. Householders have a legal “duty of care” to transfer waste only to authorised persons with proper documentation.

Fighting Environmental Crime

Gravesham Borough Council’s Environmental Enforcement Team works with Kent Police to investigate suspected rogue waste carriers and fly-tipping. Local authorities across England dealt with over one million fly-tipping incidents – according to recent national data from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Stronger enforcement aims to reduce fly-tipping incidents that blight neighbourhoods and create environmental damage. And legitimate licensed waste carriers benefit from action against illegal operators who undercut them by avoiding licensing costs.

Vulnerable residents get targeted most. Chiefly older people, who face rogue door-to-door collectors. The council advises watching out for vulnerable neighbours and reporting suspicious approaches.

Key Takeaways

• Illegal waste carriers in Gravesham face court action after joint police and council operation
• Residents must check waste collectors have valid Environment Agency licences and obtain written transfer notes
• Householders can be prosecuted and fined if their waste ends up fly-tipped, even when paying someone else

What This Means for Kent Residents

Gravesham residents should use the council’s bulky waste collection service or Kent County Council Household Waste and Recycling Centres for lawful disposal of large items and household waste. Always verify any waste collector’s Environment Agency registration before handing over rubbish, and keep written records of who collected what and where it’ll be disposed of. Report suspected rogue waste carriers to Gravesham Borough Council’s Environmental Enforcement Team or contact Kent Police on 101 for non-emergencies.