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Expensive Rubbish...

Updated: May 9, 2019


As I was visiting my local recycling centre, unloading the vast amounts of off cut wood, plasterboard, and general rubbish I've collected over the last few days and overheard one of the site workers explaining to a builder about the need for a Waste Carriers License.


I found out a while ago that the jobs that I do for my clients meant that I had to register for a license however judging by the look on this poor chaps face it appeared that he hadn't thought about this, so when the site manager came out and asked him to remove all of his rubish or face the potential fine of £5,000 the guy nearly fainted.


There then ensued a very long, colourful conversation between the two gents about where the toilet, cistern and basin that now lay in a heap at the bottom of a skip came from.


This is where a lot of small businesses are confused and generally ignore the guidelines about getting rid of site rubbish, but the regulations about the carriage of waste are clear and stated that anyone trying to get rid off any rubbish, that has been created as part of their normal business (whether it’s their personal rubbish or someone else’s) has to be registered for a Waste Carriers Licence.


> An example of this could be .....

> A carpet fitter who is taking away the old carpet

> A plumbers removing an old sinks,

> A landscape gardeners disposing of shrubs or trees

> A builders removing rubble and plaster from site.

> A kitchen fitter removing old carcases and pipework when fitting a new kitchen

> An electrician replacing light fitting and sockets and taken the old electrical fittings away


..... in fact any waste you remove from a job site still means that you have to register.


To register for a license is fairly easy and will you the pretty some of £154 (VAT exempt) for three years, and then £105 (VAT exempt) for the next three years, which is slightly easier to swallow than the £50,000 fine for fly tipping !!


Something else to bear in mind is that it's also easy to pay someone to get rid of your rubbish, but unless you are choosy about who takes it away there’s a big chance it’ll be fly-tipped. If this were to happen and the local authorities trace any of the waste back to you then you’re the one who could be fined.


If you are looking to have the rubbish removed then all you need to do is ask a few simple questions of the 'Man with the Van'.


For example:

> check if they have a waste carrier’s licence?

> have a bit of a search and see if they legitimate business and not just a friend of a friend that knew a friend?

> will they provided you with a written quote and invoice?

>ask where your rubbish is going to be taken?

> ask to see their Waste Carriers License !


And the million dollar, flashing lights, horns blowing spot light question


…... ask to see their Waste Carriers License !


Sadly it is so easy for someone to buy a clapped out old transit and offer waste collection services on social media. As these types of messages are not monitored or vetted in any way the claims they are making could be false, so remember legitimate and responsible waste businesses will be happy to give you all the information you want about how and where your waste will be disposed of.






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