A spate of fly-tipping incidents on our rural North Herts roads has led the district council to remind residents to check that the waste removal service they use is reputable and licensed.

Royston Crow: Dumped waste along Kelshall Road.Dumped waste along Kelshall Road. (Image: Jo Smith)

Items have dumped in passing points along country roads - specifically Coombe Road, Kelshall Road and Therfield Road - between the villages and the A505, and reported in the last week.

Royston Crow: North Herts District Council's executive member for community engagement Judi Billing has spoken about the impact of fly-tippingNorth Herts District Council's executive member for community engagement Judi Billing has spoken about the impact of fly-tipping (Image: Supplied)

Cllr Judi Billing , North Herts District Council's executive member for community engagement, said: “We are currently investigating these awful incidents of fly-tipping and are working with our waste contractor and private land owners to remove it as soon as possible.

"If you witnessed these items being fly-tipped or know anything about it, please contact us to let us know.

“Fly-tipping is a crime and there is no excuse for committing this terrible act when there are safe and legal ways to dispose of waste.

"If you pay someone to remove waste from your home or business, always check they have a waste carriers licence issued by the Environment Agency because if they don’t, and they fly-tip your waste, you can be prosecuted.”

Royston Crow: Fly-tippers have struck along Kelshall Road (pictured) Coombe Road and Therfield Road in North Herts.Fly-tippers have struck along Kelshall Road (pictured) Coombe Road and Therfield Road in North Herts. (Image: Jo Smith)

NHDC is part of the Hertfordshire Fly-Tipping Group, made up of Herts police, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, the Environment Agency, the National Farmers Union, Keep Britain Tidy, and other councils in Herts.

The group ran a county-wide campaign calling on residents and businesses to ‘S.C.R.A.P fly-tipping’ by following an easy-to-remember, five-step checklist when arranging one-off waste collections:

Suspect all waste carriers - don't let them take your rubbish until they provide proof of registration and do take note of their vehicle's registration plate.

Check that a waste carrier is registered on the Environment Agency's website.

Refuse any unexpected offers to have your rubbish taken away.

Ask how your rubbish will be disposed of and seek evidence of this.

Paperwork must be obtained - a proper invoice, waste transfer note or receipt - including a description of the waste being removed - and the waste carrier’s contact details.

To check if a waste carrier has an Environment Agency waste carriers licence go to environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers