Protect yourself
Avoid fly-tipping — and the fines
Six essential checks before handing over your waste to any company. Failure to use a licensed carrier can result in a minimum £400 fine — even if you didn't know your waste was fly-tipped.
• Minimum £400 fine for fly-tipping
• Always check the waste carrier licence
• Over 1 million incidents per year in England
1
Check for a valid upper tier waste carriers' licence
Any company removing your waste must hold a valid, up-to-date upper tier waste carriers' licence and insurance. Verify at: environment.data.gov.uk/public-register
2
Get quotes in person
Meet the company face to face so you know who you are dealing with. Do not arrange purely via telephone, email or social media.
3
Verify documents in person
If they have no upper tier licence or insurance, do not use them. Ask for a copy waste consignment note with all sections completed. Pay by BACS where possible, or get a receipt.
4
Beware of cheap quotes from unknown contacts
Recycling waste is not cheap. Be cautious of anyone quoting a very low price via phone, email or social media without a site visit or verifiable credentials.
5
Certain items are expensive to recycle legally
Mattresses, sofas, fridge freezers, TVs, paints and tyres are costly to dispose of properly. Cheap removal prices for these items are a warning sign — they are the items most commonly fly-tipped.
6
You are liable if your waste is fly-tipped
Even if you hired someone else, if you failed to carry out the checks above and your waste is tracked back to you, you face a minimum £400 fine plus potential court proceedings.
Get in touch
Use a carrier you can trust
Clear It! (Teessside) Ltd is fully licensed, insured and committed to legal, responsible recycling.