Cumberland Council’s Environmental Crime Team has taken decisive action against an unlicensed waste carrier following community complaints and intelligence gathered from partner agencies.
On Monday 19 January, officers from Cumberland Council attended a location in Maryport where they identified an abandoned trailer containing a substantial quantity of mixed waste. The trailer was found to be unroadworthy, displayed no registration plate, and had been left on the public highway. Consequently, it was seized in accordance with environmental crime enforcement powers. Upon inspection, officers confirmed that the waste originated from three separate household addresses.
During the recovery of the trailer, an individual arrived at the scene and claimed ownership of both the trailer and the waste within it. Officers subsequently located the vehicle he had been using to transport waste to the Household Waste Recycling Centre.
Further checks confirmed that the individual was not a registered waste carrier and had been operating illegally as an unlicensed waste collector.
Following a full investigation, the following enforcement actions have been taken:
- £1,000 fine issued for fly-tipping due to the volume of waste deposited at the location.
- £200 fine issued for abandoning a trailer full of waste on the highway.
- Three householders fined £600 each for breaching their duty of care by failing to check whether the collector was a registered waste carrier.
Councillor Denise Rollo, Cumberland Council’s Executive Member for Sustainable, Resilient and Connected Places, said:
“Illegal waste collection and disposal harms our communities, damages our environment, and undermines legitimate waste businesses. This case demonstrates why it is so important for residents to check that anyone offering to take waste away holds a valid waste carrier licence. Cumberland Council will continue to take robust action against those who transport or dump waste unlawfully.”
Residents are reminded that Cumberland Council operates a bulky waste collection service and accepts donations of reusable items at household waste recycling centres. A range of community organisations also accept and reuse quality household goods.
Householders have a legal responsibility to ensure anyone removing waste from their property is properly licensed. Those who fail to carry out these checks may face enforcement action if their waste is later found fly-tipped.