Wiltshire Council is reminding residents to always use licensed waste carriers, after a Swindon resident was issued with a £600 fixed penalty notice (FPN) for failing to ensure their waste was disposed of legally.

The resident had hired an unlicensed waste carrier to remove waste from their property. After the waste was discovered fly-tipped in a layby on Manor Hill, Lydiard Millicent, the council’s Environmental Enforcement team launched an investigation. As the resident was unable to provide any details that could help identify the person responsible, they were held accountable under their legal duty of care.

Because an FPN is not a conviction in court, the person cannot be named.

Cllr Martin Smith, Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “Fly-tipping is a serious environmental crime that blights our communities and costs taxpayers thousands of pounds each year to clean up. Everyone has a responsibility to ensure their household waste is disposed of correctly. If your waste is dumped illegally, even by someone else, you can still be fined or prosecuted.

“This case serves as a clear reminder that residents must check who they’re handing their waste to. Protect yourself – always use a licensed waste carrier, ask for a receipt, and record the vehicle details. If you don’t, you could be the one facing a fine.”

The council’s Stop at Source (SAS) campaign continues to reduce fly-tipping across the county by holding householders accountable for their duty of care when disposing of waste. The zero-tolerance approach ensures that residents understand the risks of using unlicensed collectors, particularly those who advertise waste removal services on social media.

Residents are advised to take the following steps when arranging waste removal:

• Check the waste carrier is registered with the Environment Agency and ask for their waste carrier’s licence number.
• Record the vehicle registration, make and model.
• Get a written receipt or invoice.

To check if a waste carrier is licensed, people can visit the Environment Agency website: https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers.

To find out more about how the council is tackling fly-tipping in Wiltshire and how to report fly-tipping, people should visit: https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/fly-tipping.