A joint operation to tackle fly-tipping in Redbridge saw vehicles transporting waste inspected on Wednesday (April 9).

Redbridge Council teamed up with the police to run the operation which aimed to weed out potential fly-tippers.

Commercial vehicles carrying waste were stopped to identify rogue waste removal services by checking if drivers were carrying relevant Waste Carrier Licences.

All businesses transporting and disposing of waste in England must be registered with the Environment Agency.

They require a valid Waste Carriers Licence to carry out waste removal.

The joint operation comes after several incidents of fly-tipping occurred in the borough, dumped by illegally operating services.

Rogue operators left waste they were hired to remove on local streets rather than disposing of it properly and responsibly as required by law.

To tackle the issue of fly-tipping, a two-hour operation was undertaken in High Road Seven Kings on Wednesday - April 6.

Redbridge enforcement officers checked vehicles, ultimately handing out fines totalling £2,700 to operators unable to produce a Waste Carriers Licence.

Ilford Recorder: The operation took place in High Road Seven KingsThe operation took place in High Road Seven Kings (Image: Redbridge Council)

Police Officers also stopped vehicles to check if they were roadworthy and that drivers had all the necessary documentation.

The operation was also run in Cambridge Park and Dangan Road in Wanstead in late March and resulted in two commercial vehicles being fined.

Both were given a notice to produce the relevant documents or, they faced a penalty of £300 each upon failure to do so.

Robin Payne, Redbridge Council’s operational director for civic pride, said: “We want to send a message, loud and clear, that illegally operating waste removal services are not welcome or tolerated in Redbridge and we won’t hesitate to use the full weight of the law against those caught fly-tipping in the borough.”

Redbridge residents are also being asked to ensure anyone hired to remove waste from a property is authorised to do so.

If hiring a private contractor to remove household, garden, or construction waste remember to check if an individual or company is registered with the Environment Agency and has a valid Waste Carriers Licence.

To check, visit environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers or call 03708 506 506