Rogue traders beware – local recycling and enforcement officers are looking to put a stop to illegal waste-tipping by commercial traders at Council Tax funded recycling facilities.
The joint initiative between Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority (MRWA) and Liverpool City Council is aiming to help crackdown on the misuse of local Recycling Centres by businesses and traders who attempt to dispose of their waste at the sites.
The initiative, which is being piloted at Otterspool Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) on Jericho Lane in Liverpool, involves environmental enforcement teams from Liverpool City Council holding regular sessions at the Centre and, where necessary, conducting investigations against vehicles suspected of carrying trade waste.
The initial few weeks of the pilot have already proved a success with a number of individuals stopped at site. Further investigations are underway into the sources of their waste and the validity of their waste carrier licences.
Councillor Laura Robertson-Collins, MRWA Member, said: “Genuine customers of our Centre at Otterspool can be reassured that this activity is taki
ng place to protect them. Merseyside’s 14 Household Waste Recycling Centres are provided for household waste only – they are funded by the taxpayer, for the taxpayer.”
Liverpool City Council cabinet member Councillor Steve Munby said: “We are cracking down on the rogue traders and business who are abusing these facilities when they should be paying to dispose of their waste – they are effectively defrauding taxpayers. There are many legitimate ways for business to dispose of their waste, which is the route they should take.”
This isn’t the first initiative by MRWA and their contractor Veolia Environmental Services to put a halt on businesses using the Recycling Centres. In 2009 a commercial vehicle Permit Scheme was launched at all sites across Merseyside to stop traders tipping commercial waste at the Centres. And more recently a trade waste recycling scheme was introduced at both Bidston and Huyton Recycling Centres, which offers a ‘pay by the load’ recycling and disposal service for businesses and their commercial waste.
There are plans to roll out this enforcement campaign to all 14 Household Waste Recycling Centres over the next few weeks. Information flyers will be given out at all sites, as well as information posters being placed at certain points around the centres.
