A NEW online feature from the Environment Agency will make it easier for Bradford residents to avoid getting into trouble by using rogue waste carriers.

The EA has developed a ‘Widget’ which can be embedded into the website of waste carrying companies and shows the details of the firm’s registration. The widget shows a summary of the company’s registration and allows users to view it on the EA’s Public Registers Online pages.

Traders who carry waste must be licensed, and any householder using their services has a legal Duty of Care to make sure that the firm they are using is properly licensed and registered.

Any legitimate waste carrier will be happy to show the correct documentation but having the widget on their company website will make it simpler for customers to check.

Using an unlicensed carrier can land you in a heap of trouble.

Man fined after waste was dumped near Horton Park Primary School

If the rubbish is fly-tipped and traced back to the householder, they are liable to face a hefty £250 fine – reduced to £200 if paid promptly – or face an appearance before the courts for a criminal prosecution.

Illegal traders often advertise on social media offering to take away your waste at cheaper rates than legitimate companies.

Often the waste is fly-tipped to avoid the costs of disposing of it properly, which causes a blight on the environment and extra clean-up costs for Council Tax payers.

All incidents of fly-tipping are investigated to try to discover the source of the waste.

Householders need to get as much detail as possible about who is collecting their waste such as the person’s name, company details, vehicle registration number and a receipt. Checks can be made on the E A website for waste carriers’ licences.

A spokesperson for Bradford Council said: “One of the reasons given in explanation of the increasing incidents of fly-tipped household waste is ignorance that a duty of care exists.

“Having the option of adding the widget to their website will make it easier for legitimate Waste Carriers to show that they are registered.

“For potential customers the widget can make the process of identifying a registered waste carrier a far simpler one. Making it easier for people to access the public register information can be a useful weapon in the fight against waste crime.”

Potential customers can also check the Environment Agency website to see the register of licensed waste carriers. For more information please see www.bradford.gov.uk or telephone 01274 431000.