A week-long crackdown on unlicensed scrap metal collectors in Mansfield has seen rogue traders fined and vehicles seized.
Mansfield District Council’s Community Protection Officers launched the blitz after receiving intelligence about an increase in scrap metal thefts and unlicensed operators.
Council officers conducted proactive patrols and carried out checks on various vans and flatbed trucks in the district.
Three operators—one in Ladybrook and two in Mansfield Woodhouse—were issued with £400 Fixed Penalty Notices for failing to produce or operating without waste carrier licences issued by the Environment Agency.
One van was impounded on behalf of the DVLA for having no road tax, and the other two were seized, with support from the local police, for having no insurance. The police will pursue any criminal charges relating to these.
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The owner of the untaxed vehicle will now need to pay the road tax to the DVLA and a recovery fee to reclaim the vehicle. The owners of the uninsured vehicles will have to recover them from the police.
Cllr Angie Jackson, Portfolio Holder for Wellbeing, Health and Community Safety, said: “This was an excellent week’s work by the council’s Community Safety team, acting on information they had acquired in the community.
“It is crucial for public safety and environmental protection to ensure that all vehicles involved in transporting waste are properly licensed and have road tax and insurance.
“Rogue operators such as these are a menace, and their illegal practices often lead to old fridges and other potentially hazardous waste being dumped by the side of our byways and lanes.
“If you have waste to dispose of, always check that your waste carrier has a valid licence and ask for a receipt and traceable contact details for them. If you do not do these things and your waste ends up fly-tipped, it could be you who is prosecuted and ends up with a criminal record for an environmental crime.”
Anyone who transports waste (a carrier), buys, sells, or disposes of waste (a dealer), or arranges for someone else to buy, sell, or dispose of waste (a broker) must be registered with the Environment Agency. Failing to register could lead to an unlimited fine.
In addition, anyone who collects scrap metal or operates a scrap metal site must obtain an additional licence from the council. Details can be found on the council website.
If anyone suspects someone may be operating as an unlicensed waste carrier, they can report this to our Community Safety Team by calling the council on 01623 463463.
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