Reports have indicated that some companies on the island are using the domestic waste collection service to dispose of commercial waste.
The Environment Agency has said that it will now carry out a “zero tolerance” initiative to tackle the problem and has warned that its new tough “no excuses” prosecution policy will find the offenders in court if sufficient evidence is received.
Jerry Hallam, the Agency’s environment protection team leader for the Isle of Wight, said: “This is a matter the Agency takes very seriously and deals with vigorously. We would urge members of the public with information about the illegal disposal of waste in this manner or by fly-tipping to contact us. Where we have enough evidence we will prosecute – the public are our eyes and ears; the sooner we know about an incident the more likely we are to find the culprits – we simply will not tolerate it.”
“Trying to get rid of trade or commercial waste through the household collections or by fly-tipping is unacceptable and anti-social behaviour for which we all pay the price. Together with the Isle of Wight Council, which also has powers to prosecute, we will continue to fight rogue businesses who think they can get away with it.”
Island Waste Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Biffa, has a contract with the local authority for the collection, recycling and disposal of all the waste from the 61,000 households on the Isle of Wight.
Lynn Clarke, of Island Waste Services, said that clamping down on commercial misuse at civic amenity sites is a big area of concern and explained how measures are taken to try and prevent this. Ms Clarke said that if a civic amenity site attendant thinks that waste brought to the site is commercial they ask the person visiting the site to sign a declaration saying that it is household waste. The declarations are recorded and monitored so that if a member of the public appears to be bringing in commercial waste on a regular basis then further action will be taken. But she added: “The problem is that for a successful prosecution you need good evidence.”
35% recycling rate
The Isle of Wight has three civic amenity sites which average a recycling rate of 35%. But Ms Clarke added that if anything, an increase in commercial use at civic amenity sites would make the recycling rates higher.
All waste created on the Isle of Wight is dealt with on the island through composting, recycling, energy from waste and landfill. Last year, because the island's waste from energy plant was closed its recycling rate was 30%. In the previous year, the island diverted 45% of waste from landfill.
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