Defra launched a consultation on reform of the waste carrier, broker, dealer registration system in England in January (see letsrecycle.com story).
North Yorkshire currently holds a lower tier waste carriers licence for the transport of waste from various teams across the council to the region’s household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) for disposal. It is currently free to register as a lower tier carrier and requires minimal details.
Within the consultation, different tiers of permits are proposed dependant on the perceived risk of the activity.
Under the proposals, North Yorkshire would hold a non-registered exemption as it would be operating within its statutory remit.
However, districts and borough councils providing commercial waste collections would be required to register and maintain a permit, as commercial collections are not determined to be a statutory duty.
In a report which went before North Yorkshire’s business and environmental services committee on 25 March, the council said: “This is inconsistent with Section 45 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.”
In its consultation the council said it disagreed with the proposal as “we believe that there is a statutory duty for local authorities to arrange for a commercial service if requested.”
Response
In its consultation response, North Yorkshire also said the proposed go-live date of 2023/24 was challenging because “staff training relating to technical competence and new systems compatible for digital tracking will take time to implement.”
North Yorkshire also said the advertising of permit numbers by waste operators was “to be welcomed to help combat illegal waste operations and make it easier for householders to track their waste materials.”
And, the council stated its preference for charities to operate under a registered exemption “to provide an audit trail”.
Representing an estimated population of nearly 825,000, North Yorkshire county council had a household waste recycling rate of 43.4% in the 2020/21 financial year.
This needs to be efficient and effective
– North Yorkshire county council
Welcomed
Despite its concerns, North Yorkshire broadly welcomed Defra’s consultation. The business and environmental services committee report concludes: “A stronger system to legalise the transportation and handling of waste is welcomed.
“This needs to be efficient and effective to prevent avoidance and low-level criminal activity.
“The penalties for non-compliance need to make it unaffordable to do anything but the right thing.”
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