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NO physical contact with our drivers during visits
ALL communications and paperwork sent via telephone or email
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ALL staff are strictly following our Coronavirus Safety Policy

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Fly tipping: what's the problem in Stevenage?

Fly tipping: What's the problem in Stevenage?

A good few of us grew up in a time when all waste was put out for the dustmen to collect. The big galvanised dustbin took everything we could throw at it and what didn't fit in would wait until the next collection the following week.

Should the waste item simply be too big to fit in said dustbin, a quick trip to the local dump would have been a regular weekend activity for many. Failing that, those who didn't have access to a car could simply put the old bed frame or fridge out next to the dustbin and the obliging dustmen would whisk it away, never to be seen again. Those days are now set firmly in the past.

Weekly refuse collections in Stevenage are not a thing anymore either. We are expected to pay more for our cleanup services than ever before in the form of council tax, yet the level of service appears to have either reduced, become less frequent or has stopped altogether.

One week we get our garden waste and recycling bins emptied, assuming we feel like subscribing to this extra cost and the following week, the household waste gets collected. Some areas considered a three week turnaround, with recycling waste on week one, household waste in week two and garden waste on the third week, but is this blueprint even workable?

The solution for some of the more militant amongst us is to dispose of their excess waste wherever they can, after all, someone will clear it away eventually, so what's the problem?

Why fly tipping and especially in Stevenage?

Illegal dumping is the proper name for fly tipping and it is typically distinguished from littering because of the type and amount of material left and the way in which it is disposed of. An example of littering could be throwing a piece of paper on the ground. However, emptying a rubbish bin with no permission in a public or private area can be classified as illegal dumping, or fly tipping.

The term fly tipping comes from the verb tip. Remember that some people refer to the local refuse centre as the tip or dump. Tip simply means to throw or discard something, and when one does it on the fly, it means that you throw something away sneakily, without others knowing.

Why do people fly tip in Stevenage?

The reasons people illegally fly tip waste materials can be many fold. Research does appear to indicate that a lack of legal waste disposal options is a primary factor. A shortage of legal disposal options drives demand for waste removal service, which in turn increasing the price. The same research also showed that unit pricing, which involves charging a set price per bag of waste disposed of, may contribute to illegal dumping. Sadly, the rationale behind unit pricing is to encourage people to use other forms of waste disposal such as recycling and composting, but this has clearly not had the desired effect for everyone. Some people end up disposing of their waste in unauthorised areas to save money. There also appears to be rather weak enforcement of the dumping laws that prohibit illegal dumping and a lack of public awareness regarding the environmental, health, and economic dangers that fly tipping create.

Unfortunately, all too often people see it as their right to be able to get rid of their waste materials free of charge. All too often the attitude seems to be 'why pay to get rid of something I no longer need or want?'

Worse still, when someone has sat in line at the local dump for over an hour or so at the weekend, only to be told that they will not accept the persons waste for whatever reason, the waste may just find its way onto the grass verge of a country lane en route back to the individuals home address. People don't want a load of rubbish sitting around at home and when they've spent the time and energy to load up the car and drive to the dump, only to be refused, they get very upset.

What sort of waste is disposed of by fly tipping?

Fly tipping typically involves the unauthorised disposal of many different types of waste. Often the materials dumped include building materials from construction sites, such as drywall, roofing shingles, wood, brick, concrete, and sometimes even asbestos. Other frequently dumped materials include vehicle parts, including tyres, household appliances, household waste, furniture and even hazardous medical waste.

Frequently, waste that has been fly tipped was disposed of by the owners in good faith. They may have paid good money for their waste to be collected and disposed of responsibly, but the collector doesn't have a waste carrier's license, so simply makes a fast buck and engages in a spot of fly tipping, before moving onto their next customer.

Assuming the police in Stevenage don't catch them in the act, the profit margin is pretty good. Once dumped, the waste materials have to be removed by the local authority and this may take some time and the cost will eventually be reflected in all of our council tax bills, and these are already pretty steep.

Surely it's OK to fly tip garden waste!

Fly tipping of any waste is a growing problem, but what about garden waste? After all, this is bio degradable and will eventually rot away as it composts down, enriching the soil as it does.

Instances of fly tipping of garden waste are definitely on the increase, with more reports being received both on highway verges and on private land. Although garden waste is biodegradable, it is still classed as waste, and it is still an offence to illegally deposit it under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 Section 33.

Garden waste can mean any waste coming from your Stevenage garden such as grass cuttings, bush clippings or tree branches. Some garden waste may actually benefit the local wildlife habitat. Hedgehogs are known to thrive when branches have been left in woodland areas, as they make fantastic homes for the prickly little creatures whose numbers have dwindled in recent years, but there remains a problem.

The garden waste you leave in the woodland area may not be native to that area and could potentially introduce disease to the native flora already there. Pesticides that could have been used in the garden can also be introduced into the local habitat, having devastating effects on the flora and fauna that resides there naturally. At the very least, it may simply look unsightly and smell awful as it rots away.

Effects of fly tipping in Stevenage

Effects of fly tipping include health, environmental, and economic consequences. While legal waste disposal locations, such as landfills, are designed to contain waste and its by-products from leaching into the surrounding environment, areas subjected to fly tipping do not typically incorporate the same safeguards. This is why fly tipping often leads to serious pollution of the surrounding environment. This is even more acute when toxins or highly hazardous materials start to find their way into the surrounding soil and possibly the drinking water, then it can actually threaten the health and well being of local residents. Also, rubbish that has been fly tipped can catch fire and pollute the air with toxic particles. Environmental pollution due to fly tipping causes short-term and long-term health issues in many. Short-term issues include asthma; congenital illnesses; stress and anxiety; headaches, dizziness and nausea; and eye and respiratory infections. Long-term concerns may include cancer and kidney; liver; respiratory; cardiovascular; brain; nervous; and lymph hematopoietic diseases.

Not only are there serious health issues due to pollution and toxic waste, illegal fly tipping can present a clear and present physical danger to people and animals in the vicinity. Kids have a habit of playing in such areas and could be exposed to sharp or jagged materials within the waste fly tipped; animals can become trapped or entangled in the fly tipped waste, leading to a miserable and protracted amount of suffering and possibly death.

Fly tipping also attracts vermin such as rats and mice, as well as many more insects. This sudden increase in vermin will also negatively impact the surrounding Stevenage property values. Unsightly and obnoxious smelling build ups of waste discourage commercial and residential developers from improving communities.

In addition to decreasing the property values, fly tipping costs the government millions of pounds in clean up costs. In the United Kingdom, the Environmental Protection Agency spends £100 to £150 million every year to investigate and clean up rubbish that has been fly tipped.

The legal consequences of fly tipping in Stevenage

As stated before, fly tipping is a criminal offence, but from a legal perspective, it can become far more technical.

Fly tipping is committed if controlled waste is deposited, or caused or allowed to be deposited, in a way or place not allowed by a waste management licence.

Fly tipping also refers to waste that is kept or managed in a way that is likely to cause pollution or harm to human health.

It is actually an offence in the United Kingdom to transport controlled waste without being registered under Section 1 of the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989. There is also a Fixed Penalty Notice of up to £300 for failure to produce registration documents on request. Unfortunately, someone fly tipping is only likely to come to grief if they are caught red handed by an appointed officer from the environment agency, a police officer or are caught on video or camera carrying out the act, particularly if their vehicle registration plate has been captured too.

A classic defence of individuals when caught carrying waste for a business is that they were simply following orders from their boss. However, employees of Stevenage businesses who are caught transporting or handling controlled waste for profit in a vehicle without the business being a registered carrier of controlled waste, cannot use this defence, so acting under their employers instructions will not save them or their company from prosecution.

In the United Kingdom there is an obligation on any producer of waste to make sure that waste is disposed of properly. This obligation even applies to householders and they need to take reasonable measures to ensure that their waste is disposed of lawfully, by providing it to a local authority or business that has registered itself with the Environmental Agency. When disposing of waste to anyone other than your local authority, always ask to view their paperwork. If they are genuine, they will have a waste carrier number, which can be checked on the Environment Agencies Public Register. Anyone breaching this obligation could face prosecution and a fine.

What are the penalties for fly tipping in Hertfordshire?

The penalty for fly tipping depends on the seriousness of the offence, its impact on the environment and the cost of cleaning and dealing with any pollution deemed to have been caused by the act of fly tipping.

Stevenage householders can face a fine if they do not take reasonable measures to ensure that their waste is lawfully disposed of. Repeated fly tipping may result in an Anti-Social Behaviour Order, commonly referred to as an ASBO, being made against an individual in Scotland and Northern Ireland or an injunction.

A fixed penalty of between £150 and £400 can be made against any householder who fails to comply with a notice issued for failing to properly use the facilities available to them to legally dispose of their waste. This includes failing to follow publicised collection arrangements. One thing that many don't realise is that leaving waste out on the wrong day, or even at the wrong time or in the wrong container or bin, can see them handed a fixed penalty notice by their local authority. The local authority must however ensure that collection arrangements have been well publicised and are reasonable. Most local councils provide waste disposal sites and recycling centres where you can safely and legally dispose of unwanted items. Those that do not have the means to visit such sites, may qualify for cut price or possibly free collections from their home address, particularly if they are in receipt of state benefits.

Unauthorised waste carrying and fly tipping by businesses

Lesser offences, such as failing to provide the required documentation or failure of a small business to register as a waste carrier can sometimes result in a fixed penalty of between £150 and £400.

A breach of a business's duty of care to ensure that its waste is disposed of properly may result in a fine. Repeated offending may result in an ASBO, but only in Scotland or Northern Ireland, an injunction and the seizure of the vehicle used to carry or fly tip the waste. This vehicle seizure is designed to interrupt or prevent the illegal activities of the business, particularly if the driver of the vehicle could not be identified at the time of the offence and it may even go as far as the loss of a driving licence.

Prepare to lose your vehicle if caught fly-tipping

The Environment Agency actually has the power to seize and dispose of vehicles used for fly-tipping, so if you thought that this was the sole remit of the local constabulary, think again. Local authorities can also stop, search and seize vehicles they suspect are being used for fly-tipping, although this must be done in the presence of a police officer, preferably one in full uniform. Vehicles which have been used for fly-tipping can also be forfeited to cover the local authority's costs for investigation, enforcement and cleaning up of any pollution caused by the fly tipping.

The courts may order an offender convicted of fly-tipping to pay costs in relation to the enforcement authority's costs and these can run into many thousands, depending on the amount and severity of the fly tipping in question.

Although the penalties may seem reasonably robust for the average private individual, when you consider the many thousands of pounds some unscrupulous individuals make from dodging the waste carriers licence and just fly tipping the waste, knowing the odds of being caught are pretty slim, it's hardly surprising that they are renewed calls to tighten up existing legislation and increase the penalties for fly tipping.

So next time you think it will be easier to fly tip some waste in Stevenage, think about the environmental and legal consequences that your actions could bring about.

Hoarding costs you money

Many hoarding behaviours can be put down to past experiences the individual has gone through. This may be periods of abject poverty, that makes them feel the need to hoard items just in case they could be used to good effect at a later stage. It is now thought that hoarding can adversely affect your finances. This may sound like a strange statement to make, but a bad financial situation is something we all want to avoid.

Time to have a good clearout

We've all been there. Our house has become a little cluttered and we feel the need to have a good tidy up. Many refer to it as a spring clean, but any time of year is a good time to de-clutter our living space. Having a good tidy up not only clears your house, it will help to clear your mind too. Research has shown that living in a cluttered environment can even have adverse effects on a person's sleep.

The waste consequences of Covid

In an age where we are constantly looking for ways to cut down on our waste, it seems strange that so much extra waste has been created by the covid pandemic. The vast majority of this is made from plastic, so surely it could be recycled, but when one considers what it has been used for, it renders it potentially hazardous waste.

New Bill designed to ban export of plastic waste

When we throw away our waste materials, few of us know or possibly even wonder where this waste will end up. Many often believe that if it goes into the recycling bin, it will be recycled and therefore they will be doing their bit for the good of the environment. Unfortunately, a good deal of plastic waste often ends up in developing countries.

The problems with waste disposal in Stevenage

How many times have we looked at all the waste materials we have accumulated and despaired at the arduous prospect of sorting it into various types of waste to dispose of at the local tip? This once simple task has now become a major headache for many as the restrictions on what we can dispose of in landfill has increased so much in recent times.

Plastic pollution around the globe

Plastic pollution is now one of the biggest environmental concerns we have to face. You may feel that large amounts of plastic waste are unavoidable in the world we live in, but you and your family can help with the plastic pollution issue by being aware of its dangers and taking the necessary steps to reduce your plastic waste.

Carbon emissions and the environment

An awful lot has been said over the years about the damage we are doing to our environment with the carbon emissions and waste we produce. Some dispute the possibility that we are damaging our planet beyond repair, while others state quite clearly that we have very little time to change our ways and that time is running out.

How the five R's can dramatically improve our environment in Stevenage?

We have all heard of recycling our waste materials and for many years, some councils have provided special recycling bins to help residents avoid putting too much waste into landfill. But recycling is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to helping keep our environment healthy in Stevenage.

Recycle or incinerate! What is the best solution for our waste materials in Stevenage?

We are constantly being encouraged to recycle our waste materials and not putting them into landfill. However, there appears to be an emerging trend for incineration of waste in many areas, but is this a good or bad step?

Single use plastic products in Stevenage

Here at Stevenage Skip Hire we always recycle as much of your waste as possible, however, there is always more that can be done to improve the environment that we all need to survive.

A guide to what can and cannot go into a hired skip

At Stevenage Skip Hire we are frequently asked what waste materials can be placed into the hired skips we supply. So we thought it would be a good idea to offer a quick guide as to what is and is not acceptable.

Recycling your waste materials in Stevenage

Recycling is something most of us do now to some degree. Some do it more than others, but we mostly appreciate that it is an important part of our daily lives. It is more important to recycle waste in order to conserve resources and maintain a healthy environment than ever before. The question is, are we really doing everything possible when it comes to recycling our waste materials? The achances are that many of us are probably not doing all we can. So here are a few tips to help you recycle properly.

The problem with plastic pollution in Hertfordshire

Waste reduction in Hertfordshire

The country is now committed to reducing the amount of waste and the government have set targets for waste reduction. A new plan for cutting waste was published back in 2007 that aimed for at least 40 per cent of household waste to be recycled or composted by 2010, this rose to 50 per cent by 2020.

Plastic waste from the United Kingdom may be sent overseas instead of recycled

Massive amounts of packaging waste is being sent overseas to be recycled and turned into new products. However, concerns have been raised that in reality a good deal of it is being dumped in landfill sites in countries that we have no agreement with.

Just how recyclable is the plastic we use in Stevenage Skip Hire

We all know that plastic is recyclable, so as long as we put it in the correct bin it will be made into something else useful. Sadly this is a myth that all too many people believe, the painful truth is quite the opposite. We have all seen the triangular set of chasing arrows logo on plastic products and seem to automatically assume that it denotes that the product is recyclable.

What happens to all the plastic we throw out

Just where would we be without plastic? The production of plastic has exploded over the last fifty or so years, growing from 16.5 million tons in 1964 to 343 million tons in 2014; it is expected to double by 2036. The question is, where does all of this plastic go when people in Hertfordshire throw it away?

Fly tipping: A modern day curse

Fly tipping is simply another term used to describe illegal dumping of all manner of waste material, it is also called fly dumping. Whatever term is used, it is the dumping of waste illegally instead of using an authorised method such as kerbside collection or using an authorised rubbish dump. It is the illegal deposit of any waste onto land, including waste dumped or tipped on a site with no licence to accept waste.

Recycled plastic for roads and pavements

Plastic use in road and pavement construction is not exactly a new concept, but it does appear to be increasing. Using plastic waste to make plastic roads is definitely on the upward trend. Plastic roads mainly use plastic carrier bags, disposable cups and PET bottles that are collected from landfill sites prior to burial and are a vital part of this construction material.

Seaweed sachets offer an alternative to plastic

Indonesia has a wealth of naturally growing seaweed that can make an edible, water permeable film that can be used in sachets that hold tea, coffee, and hot cocoa as well as a whole host of other useful daily consumable products.

The increasing problem of plastics in our oceans

The amount of plastic in the oceans of the world is predicted to treble in the next ten years unless affirmative action is taken to deal with the problem, according to a new report just published.

Plastic pollution in the ocean starts from the rivers

A scary statistic is that more than eight million tons of waste plastic ends up in the ocean every single year. If we continue to pollute our oceans at this rate, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050 and it can take many years to break down if at all, not to mention the toxins it leaches in the process.

Ways to reduce your plastic waste

Plastic is a great product in so many ways, but the environmental impact it can have is enormous, particularly when it comes to the single use plastic products we seem to uses on a daily basis in our throw away society. Can we as private individuals do to cut down our personal plastic usage?

Plastic microbeads are a load of rubbish

Would you like to fill your mouth with plastic, or cover other parts of your anatomy with it on a regular basis? The answer would most likely be a resounding no, but we are already doing just that.

Waste plastic from the UK is polluting the globe

Literally thousands of tons of plastic scrap collected for recycling from British households have been transported and dumped on sites across the world. This shocking revelation was revealed from a recent freedom of information request.

Hiring a skip from Stevenage Skip Hire rather than using the local dump

Have you got a load of rubbish to dump? Is it better to hire a skip or use the local dump? Do you need a permit for having a skip? Can anyone apply for a permit? Here are a few answers which could help you when hiring a skip from Stevenage Skip Hire

Hire a skip from Stevenage Skip Hire for your garden waste

No matter what the season, a medium sized Hertfordshire garden can generate a massive amount of waste materials. The winter will leave a lot of dead leaves and twiggs from nearby trees to clear up, and when the warmer months hit, the waste is generated on a weekly basis as things grow rapidly.

Get a skip and avoid fly tipping in Hertfordshire

Not only does fly tipping blight the Hertfordshire countryside around us, it can have a devastating effect on the wildlife that we co-exist with. Then of course there is the eye watering cost of clearing up the mess that inconsiderate people have created. We all pay the price for this ecologically unsound practice through increased council tax bills from our councils. This could all be avoided if everyone disposed of their waste in the correct manner and hiring a skip is probably the best way to go about this, particularly if you have a large amount of waste to dispose of.

Some facts about waste and recycling from Stevenage Skip Hire

The United Kingdom produces over 100 million tonnes of waste every single year. If you consider that one tonne is about the weight of a small car, it is easy to see how it mounts up. In less than two hours, the waste we produce would fill the Albert Hall.

Hire a skip instead of going to your local Hertfordshire tip

Using a local Hertfordshire tip is not the same as it was a few years ago. These days everything has to go in the correct hopper, it cannot all go in the same one any longer. This means you have to know what goes where in order to segregate all the rubbish at home.

Hire a skip from Stevenage Skip Hire for your soil and mud

A Hertfordshire client recently hired one of our skips as they just could not believe how much earth they had to get rid of when they dug out a pond in their back garden. Our client had intended to build up their flower beds and other low spots of their garden with the excavated earth. They never thought they would need to get rid of any earth at all.

Useful information about skip hire in Hertfordshire

The one question we get asked the most at Stevenage Skip Hire is what size skip the customer will need. We always suggest that you think about what you need to dispose of and remember that two skips can be far more expensive than one larger skip. Skips are measured by the yard and range from 3 yard mini skips to roll-on roll-off containers more suitable for higher volume waste requirements.

Hire a skip from Stevenage Skip Hire to save you time effort and money

Hiring a skip from Stevenage Skip Hire is without a doubt the best way to get rid of all your waste materials! It is convenient, quick, easy and saves you a huge amount of work. Generally speaking, we only get a couple of days a week away from work, and when you end up ferrying your household waste back and forth from the local tip, your weekend soon gets swallowed up.

The benefits of skip hire from Stevenage Skip Hire in Hertfordshire

Having a good clear out of the garden shed or garage produces way more rubbish than you ever imagined possible. Decorating preparation can also produce a good deal of waste, such as old skirting boards and stripped wood chip paper that his been up since the war, so a skip is a great way to dispose of the waste.

Further Information

If you would like to know more or are interested in a quote we would be happy to help. Phone us on 0800 169 8588, email us at info@stevenageskiphire.co.uk or fill in our enquiry form and we will be in touch as soon as possible.