Builders face fines over waste

More than four in five building companies in Cannock Chase could be fined for failing to provide paperwork proving their waste materials were legally disposed of, it was revealed today.

Just 20 out of 107 firms which have undertaken work in the district requiring compliance with building control regulations have produced the requested documentation.

As part of Cannock Chase Council's environmental enforcement action plan, environmental health officers targeted builders in July requiring them to show that their waste is disposed of properly. In order to dispose of waste, building companies, like any other commercial waste producer, must have a licence from the Environment Agency, which is aimed at reducing the amount of fly tipping.

Environmental health officers collate and analyse all reports of fly-tipping and it has been found that builders' waste is prevalent as fly-tipped material.

Those companies not providing copies of their waste carriers' licence or waste transfer notes face a a £300 fixed penalty fine.