Scrap Law change and waste carriage

[pyrosym]

I noticed on the news this morning that now if you want to weigh in your scrap (e.g. copper) you now need a photo ID and accept a cheque for the value minus tax or have payment into an account matching your ID via BACS. They will no longer pay cash unless you fulfill some very stringent criteria e.g. prove you are a no fixed abode rag and bone man.

The full details of the bill can be found here:

Bill stages — Scrap Metal Dealers Bill 2012-13 — UK Parliament

There is also talk about increasing the tax on scrap metal - If that is true that will definitely put some noses out of joint.

I would also recommend that you do have a waste carrier license to avoid the pitfall of being spot checked. This has happened to a fellow very recently resulting in a fine for what was essentially a small amount of household rubbish.

I understand this is to tackle scrap thieves that are damaging buildings, rail lines and other businesses but there will be a knock on effect to the trades that use these services legitimately.


Just thought I'd put it out there see what people think.

 

[Darkwood]

Strange how copper 'clean' as we use and take to the scrapyard is classed as waste as its already in its saleable form so shouldn't require a waste license as we are selling a raw product, when it needs sorting and refining like plumbers pipes 'dirty copper' then yes its scrap in my mind..... its weird how clean copper spans to cat' yet it is labled according to how the goverment can get more money for it per situation.

 

[pyrosym]

No great surprises there surely. It is worth a third more roughly as bright (depends on your scrappie I presume). It would still need to be melted down to produce a new workable material and HM gov't will grab what they can when they can. I just don't believe the new bill is really going to 'help' the situation it just makes it different.