Duty Of Care

Are you planning a spring clean soon?

Do you know how you will dispose of your unwanted belongings?

Did you know that residents are responsible for the proper disposal of their waste?

York has seen an increase in unlawful traders taking rubbish from householders at a small charge and then dumping it.

This type of environmental crime is a blight on York's open spaces, and spoils this beautiful city for those who live here and visit.

Here are some helpful tips to ensure that you don't fall foul of the law.

Private Waste Collections

Only businesses that are registered to carry waste can take away rubbish, this includes our own household waste collection who empty your bins every week. 

How residents can help combat this problem

• Anyone that is visited by a door to door rubbish collector or chooses to use a contractor should ask if they are a registered waste carrier and ask for their waste carrier number
  
• Check with the Environment Agency on 08708 506 506 or visit www.environment-agency.co.uk/waste then click on household to do a Waste carrier Validation Check. The Environment Agency will confirm whether the contractor is registered
  
• If your contractor is not registered, you should refuse their services and request that they seek advice from the Environment Agency

Other ways that residents can dispose of their waste lawfully

Furniture and electricals

• www.freecycle.com  - put your reusable belongings on line for local customers to collect
• York Community Furniture Store  - free collections of good quality reusable furniture via York 426444

Clothing and shoes

• Local charity shops - for good quality reusable items
• Recycling banks at Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys and Netto (Layerthorpe)
• Yorkshire Air Ambulance  - free collection  tel: 0800 043 4342 (use clear bags)

Recyclables - glass, cans, paper, cardboard, plastic bottles

• Find your nearest recycling bank at recycling banks
• Check whether you have a kerbside collection via the Customer Centre

Recycling and rubbish

• Visit a household waste recycling centre to take a wide range of items for recycling and disposal and the opening times.
• Arrange a bulky collection for any large items of rubbish, You can arrange this via  the Customer Centre on York 551551
• Current costs (2008/9) £27.00 for up to 10 items. £6.00 for fridges and freezers

For larger amounts and DIY tasks consider hiring a skip. Skip companies also need to be registered with the Environment Agency.

Weekly refuse collections

• Weekly collections  are not meant for bulky and excess items
• It is the council's policy not to take extra bags and bulky items and residents could be liable for a statutory notice.  Failure to comply with a notice can result in a fixed penalty ticket for £100 or a court appearance with a maximum fine of £1000.
• Always bag your rubbish and don't present side waste if you have a bin

What The Law Says

The Environmental Protection Act 1990 makes it an offence for a householder to not take steps to ensure that the waste that they are disposing of is only passed on to a registered waste carrier. Anyone failing to take these steps could face a fine of up to £5,000.

What are we doing to combat the problem?

• We are running a summer long campaign to raise awareness and ask all residents to be vigilant in what they do with unwanted household waste, waste from repairs and DIY and any excess that they want to dispose of
• An advertising campaign is been run through local free publications - look out for our advert
• Flyers are being distributed to all DIY stores around the city
• We monitor known hot spot areas on a weekly basis to crack down on fly tipping.  CCTV is placed in problem areas and anyone caught can face a fine of up to £50,000 or a six month prison sentence
• Businesses trading as waste carriers will be investigated