Farmers – Protect yourselves from waste criminals

‘A wet winter has meant it’s been a difficult start to the year for many farmers. Facing reduced early crop yields or worse still, zero yields, the temptation to cut costs or diversify, to find additional income is more tempting than ever.

Unfortunately, this makes farmers an ideal target for unscrupulous waste operators who are more than willing to take advantage of people under greater financial pressure. Whether it is an offer of a “cheap tip” of materials that can be used to repair roads and tracks or an agreement to secure land for spreading or storage of materials in farm buildings.’

This Environment Agency blog provides useful precautions for landowners to protect themselves from waste criminals.

‘As a rule of thumb, if it has been removed from somewhere, it is surplus to requirements or it has been through some kind of sorting or treatment process (such as crushing) it’s safer to assume it is a waste.’