Welsh homeowners could face a fixed penalty of up to £300 if they hire an unregistered rubbish removal company during their autumn clearout. A recent investigation found that the vast majority of adverts for such services lacked the necessary registration details.
Investigation reveals widespread lack of registration
The investigation, conducted by London-based waste collection firm Rubbish Removal UK, involved a manual review of 150 individual adverts, each offering waste removal services in London. Of those adverts, 146 — representing 97% of the sample — did not include a waste-carrier registration number.
The findings come at a time when homeowners are attempting to tackle autumn clear-outs of garages, sheds and gardens, while fly-tipping incidents continue to burden councils across the UK.
What is a waste-carrier registration number?
This is a unique ID assigned to businesses that transport, buy, sell, or arrange the disposal of waste. Customers would need to obtain further details or search the company's name on the Environment Agency's public register to confirm that the business offering the service holds a valid waste carrier licence — in order to comply with Government guidance and avoid a potential fine should their waste be under investigation.
In Wales, homeowners who fail to take reasonable steps to transfer their waste to an authorised individual can face a fixed penalty of up to £300.
How to check if a company is legit
Government guidance advises homeowners to engage a private waste collection firm to ensure the carrier holds a current, valid upper-tier registration. The Wales Natural Resources public register can be searched using a registration number, business name, or postcode.
Rubbish Removal UK advises the following three key steps prior to engaging any waste collection firm. To begin with, request the registered business name and waste-carrier registration number. Next, verify the registration on the public register to ensure it corresponds to the operator who will collect your waste. Finally, retain the business details and receipt. Should your waste come under scrutiny at a later date, these documents can serve as evidence of the due diligence you carried out.
