Fixed penalty notices handed out after stop and search operation to tackle illegal waste carriers

Two fixed penalty notices have been handed out after a joint operation to tackle illegal waste carriers operating in the Borough.

Officers from Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council and Cleveland Police worked together to stop and search vehicles carrying waste last month (March 27).

And of the 17 vehicles stopped three were found to be operating illegally by not having the correct licence to carry other people's waste.

Two people were issued with a £300 fixed penalty notice and a third is under further investigation, which may result in a criminal prosecution.

"Illegal waste carriers undercut legitimate businesses and are often involved in fly-tipping," said the Council's Cabinet Member for Access, Communities and Community Safety, Councillor Steve Nelson.

"Operations like this send out a clear message that if you're carrying waste illegally, you could receive a hefty fine or even prosecution in the courts.

"It was encouraging to find that the majority of vehicles stopped had the correct paperwork to legally carry waste.

"But there's a minority who are operating illegally and that's why we decided to take the action we have. Hopefully this will serve as a warning for those breaking the law.

"It's not just the illegal waste carriers that can end up in trouble, because if your waste is fly-tipped by someone else, then you could face a fine too.

"But you can take some simple steps to protect yourself - if you hire someone to take away your waste, ask for their permit number, ask if they have a licence, and make sure you get a waste transfer note.

"The note needs to be signed by both you and the person taking the waste, and record enough information about the waste for it to be handled safely and legally."

Sergeant Mark Kewley from the Roads Policing Unit, said: "We will continue to work with our partners at Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council and across the whole of Cleveland to ensure that waste carriers are operating safely and within the law.

"This operation shows that whilst the majority of people stopped were law-abiding, there are still some who choose to flout the rules and so operations like these will continue in the future."

You can check if someone has a waste carrying licence by visiting the Environment Agency's website.

And you can also apply to be a waste carrier online.

You can also arrange a bulky waste collection on the bulky waste page of the Council's website.

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