COMPANIES who dump trade waste illegally at household waste recycling centres are being warned that their activities are being monitored and investigated.

North Yorkshire waste management company Yorwaste is working in partnership with North Yorkshire County Council and City of York Council to clamp down on those who dispose of trade waste at household waste recycling centres.

People who are suspected of bringing trade waste to the centres operated by Yorwaste are being asked to fill in and sign a Waste Declaration Form.

The form, which includes vehicle details and the type of waste deposited, is used to declare that the waste taken to the relevant site is household waste from a private dwelling and not trade waste.

If the same person continues to return with quantities of waste that do not appear to be from a household, they could be prosecuted. Misuse of the sites can result in a fine of up to £20,000 and/or up to a six-month jail sentence.

The household waste recycling centres at Stonefall, Harrogate, and Foss Islands, York, are licensed to accept trade waste. There are also plans to extend this service in the future to the Yafforth Road site, Northallerton.

For more information about trade waste disposal, call (01609) 774400.