Under the Environmental Protection Act you have a duty of care over your household and business waste. That duty does not end when someone drives away with it.
What the law actually says
You must take reasonable steps to make sure your waste is transferred to an authorised person. In practice that means checking the carrier’s licence and keeping the transfer note.
How people get caught
Councils search fly-tipped waste for anything with a name and address on it — an envelope, a delivery label, a prescription. The fixed penalty for failing your duty of care is up to £400, and prosecutions can go much higher.
The two things to ask for
- The carrier’s Environment Agency registration number, which you can check for free on the public register.
- A waste transfer note for the collection, with the carrier’s details, your details and a description of the waste.
Keep it
Householders should keep transfer notes for their own protection; businesses are legally required to keep them for two years.