UNITED Utilities is warning customers to be extra vigilant when hiring a firm to remove household waste as they could be held legally responsible if their rubbish is fly-tipped.
Householders are reminded that they hold the legal responsibility to check the firm they hire has a waste carriers' licence, to ensure that rubbish is disposed of legally - this can be checked on the Environ-ment Agency’s website.
United Utilities’ land agent assistant Kathryn Frazer said: “If you employ an individual or business to remove waste from your property or business you have a responsibility to ensure they dispose of it legitimately, for instance at a household waste and recycling centre or licensed/permitted site.”
People are also being asked to request a receipt from the carrier, documenting the waste that has been taken. Businesses must ask the waste carrier for a waste transfer note documenting the waste that was removed and where it was taken to.
Anyone who fails to carry out these checks could be liable to pay a fixed penalty of £200 for a householder and £300 for a business.
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