Household waste - a guide for householders

What is household waste?

Household waste includes rubbish from:

• homes
• caravans
• residential care homes

You must make sure your waste is disposed of properly.

Don’t get caught out

Some people pay a “man with a van” to take away rubbish. But if that person dumps it illegally (fly-tipping), you could be fined.

If your waste is found fly-tipped and traced back to you:

• you could get a £250 Fixed Penalty Notice
• you could be taken to court and fined up to £5,000 in Magistrates Court
• there is no limit to the fine in Crown Court

Find out when your refuse and recycling is collected

What you must do

You must take reasonable steps to check that anyone taking your waste is allowed to do so.

Reasonable steps include:

• asking for their full name, address and phone number
• asking to see their waste carrier licence – if they don’t have one, don’t use them
• checking where your waste will go – it must be a licensed disposal site
• contacting the Environment Agency on 08708 506 506 for a free licence check
• checking online at the Environment Agency website

If you use an unlicensed waste carrier, you are breaking the law.

Report illegal waste carriers

To report someone collecting waste without a licence, call 01274 434366. Please give:

• name
• address
• phone number
• vehicle registration
• a short statement of what happened

Keep your property clean

Bradford Council investigates over 1,000 complaints each year about waste in gardens.

If you have too much rubbish outside your home, you may get a notice telling you to clear it. If you don’t, the Council can:

• remove the waste and charge you
• issue a fine
• take you to court

Bin collection rules

• Put your bin out by 6am on collection day
• Do not block the pavement
• Only put it out after 8pm the night before
• Bring it back in by 8am the day after

You can also take your waste to a Household Waste Recycling Centre.

• Many items can be recycled
• Green waste can be composted at home

Health and safety

You must store waste in a proper bin. Waste that is left out can:

• attract vermin
• cause injury
• spread disease

If rubbish is left and causes a problem, the Council can remove it and charge you. You may also be fined.