Three People Fined £600 Each After Failing to Check Waste Collector’s Licence

Cumberland Council has fined three residents £600 each after they failed to check whether the individual they hired to remove their household waste held a valid waste carrier licence.
The action followed complaints and intelligence gathered about an unlicensed waste collector operating in the Maryport area. Council officers attended a site in the town on January 19 after a trailer carrying a large amount of mixed waste was abandoned on a public road. The trailer was found to be unroadworthy, unregistered and left in a potentially hazardous position.
Officers traced the waste back to three separate addresses and during their enquiries found that the man who arrived to claim the trailer and its contents was not a registered waste carrier. Further checks identified the vehicle he was using to transport waste to the Household Waste Recycling Centre.
In addition to the fines issued to the householders for breaching their duty of care by not confirming the licence status of the collector, the individual claiming the waste was fined £1,000 for fly-tipping and £200 for abandoning the trailer on the highway.
Cumberland Council’s executive member for sustainable places emphasised that illegal waste collection harms the community and environment, and underlined the importance of residents ensuring anyone they pay to remove waste is properly licensed.
Under UK law, householders have a responsibility to make sure that waste is transferred only to registered carriers. If waste ends up being unlawfully dumped later, the householder can still be held liable for failing to meet this duty of care.
The council has said it will continue robust enforcement against illegal waste transport and disposal in the area.