Fixed penalty notices handed out to crack down on North Herts fly-tipping

These fixed penalty notice fines, which are an alternative to prosecution, are a measure to encourage household owners to go through a series of checks as part of their duty of care before handing over their waste to a waste disposal person or company.

Recommended checks include:

- Checking that the person or company taking away household waste is registered as a licensed waste carrier with the Environment Agency

- Asking the waste carrier where they will dispose of the waste

- Recording the waste carriers registration number or take a photograph of it

- Keeping a receipt or waste transfer note which includes a description of the waste and company used

- Recording or taking a photograph of the vehicle used and its registration number

If a household owner has not thoroughly checked the legitimacy of the waste carrier and handed over their waste to an unlicensed carrier who subsequently fly-tips the waste, the household owner will be liable for a fine of £300.

Failure to pay the £300 fine will result in a magistrates' court appearance with an unlimited fine and criminal prosecution, resulting in a criminal record.

These new powers for the council were introduced under Section 34 (2A) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

The district council's executive member for community engagement councillor Judi Billing said: "fixed penalty notices are just one of the enforcement tools we use to deal with fly-tipping offences. Our Community Safety Team have had some fantastic results securing prosecutions against those who commit waste offences."

The Council's Community Safety Team were recently featured in Channel 5's Grime and Punishment documentary series, highlighting the work that NHDC does to investigate and prosecute fly-tippers.

To check if a waste carrier has an Environment Agency waste carrier licence go to environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers.