North Northamptonshire Council cracks down on illegal trade waste disposal

30 July 2026

Residents and businesses are being reminded of the importance of responsible waste disposal following a four-month campaign to tackle the illegal disposal of trade waste at Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) across North Northants.

The council’s Waste team have been working alongside teams at HWRCs across the local area to address the growing issue of businesses and rogue traders.

Over four months, 55 formal warning notices and 16 Fixed Penalty Notices were issued for offences including littering, fly-tipping and breaches of waste Duty of Care requirements.

Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, all UK businesses have a legal responsibility to ensure their commercial waste is stored, transferred and disposed of correctly. This includes using a registered waste carrier and maintaining waste transfer records for a minimum of two years. Council staff can request to inspect Waste Transfer Notes at any time.

Many businesses are unaware that these legal requirements apply to them, regardless of size. The Duty of Care extends to landlords, home-based businesses, sole traders, small and medium-sized enterprises and larger industrial operations.

HWRCs in North Northants are intended for the disposal of household waste only, with only Kettering and Rushden offering a dedicated paid-for-trade waste service operated separately by H M Martin Waste Ltd. The service at Kettering and Rushden is available to businesses holding a valid Waste Carrier Licence, with waste being weighed and processed through the site’s weighbridge facility before disposal.

Our HWRCs are an important, valuable services for residents and we want to ensure they are being used appropriately. This work demonstrates our determination to tackle the illegal disposal of trade waste whilst supporting businesses in understanding their legal responsibilities.Cllr Ken Harrington, the council’s Executive Member for Assets, Waste and Environmental Services

As part of the ongoing enforcement activity, 6 (of the total 55) warning notices have also been issued to members of the public for abusive behaviour towards site staff.

Businesses can find further information about trade waste on the North Northamptonshire Council website.

For further information about business waste compliance, email [email protected] and a member of the team will be happy to help.