Expect a Miracle, a house clearance & rubbish removal company based in Byfleet, Surrey, got on the wrong side of the law and, instead of miracle, found themselves liable for fines and costs of £785. The company was prosecuted by Woking Borough Council for two breaches of Sections 33 and 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Expect a Miracle were paid by a resident to dispose of some household rubbish. But the rubbish turned up dumped in a residential street. The council traced Expect a Miracle but when officers checked the register of licenses held by the Environment Agency, the company’s name did not appear.
In November 2017, the company pleaded guilty at Guildford Magistrates Court to dumping rubbish outside homes in Byfleet and failing in its duty of care to responsibly dispose of waste with an authorised carrier. Expect a Miracle was fined £500 with £250 costs and a £35 victim surcharge.
Councillor Beryl Hunwicks, Woking Council’s Portfolio Holder for Waste and Recycling, said, “The regulations on the carriage of waste mean that anyone transporting waste as part of their business whether it is their waste or someone else’s must hold a valid waste carrier’s license. This includes tradesmen such as plumbers carrying old sinks, gardeners carrying shrubs and trees and builders carrying rubble. Businesses that trade without a lawful license can be fined up to £5,000.”
Councillor Hunwicks advised residents that they should always ask for a waste carrier registration certificate, ascertain where rubbish will be disposed of and check online that a waster carrier is registered with the Environment Agency.