A COUNCILLOR has slammed MP Chris Green for his comments on Bolton Council's waste collection policies.

Cllr Nick Peel, executive member for the environment, said the Bolton West representative should stop "having a go" after he claimed the council was 'harassing' small businesses.

Speaking in Parliament last week, the Conservative MP said Bolton Council had taken an "extreme interpretation" of waste management laws, leading to a reduction in recycling and increased landfill usage.

In response, Cllr Peel, said the council was "obliged to enforced the law as it stands".

He added: "Chris Green appears to be saying we are targeting businesses in Horwich. That is wrong, we are enforcing these rules across the borough.

"Chris Green is a member of parliament and should not be having a go at bodies that his government has instructed to enforce the law.

"He should know that local councils don't make national law."

A council spokesman added: “Businesses have a legal responsibility to dispose of their waste correctly and not doing so is an offence under the Environmental Protection Act.

“Most of our businesses comply with the legislation but we have found cases where some are simply putting their waste in domestic refuse bins, flytipped their waste or dumped it by bins on the street or in parks.

“This illegal activity costs our taxpayers tens of thousands of pounds in disposal and clean-up costs.

“Businesses who flout their responsibilities also have an unfair advantage over those businesses who abide by the rules and pay to dispose of their waste responsibly.

“If you operate a business you must ensure that a person or company that collects your waste is a registered waste carrier and have a Waste Transfer Note which must be retained for two years. If you 'self-dispose' of your waste you must be able to prove where and how.

“Under the Act, our officers can ask to see these documents from any business, within seven days, by serving a notice and the council has the authority to fine any business that is unable to provide the necessary documents as evidence.

“Any businesses with concerns or queries about commercial waste disposal should visit https://www.gov.uk/managing-your-waste-an-overview for more information.”

The MP had claimed that businesses in Horwich, Westhoughton and Daisy Hill had received letters from the council asking them to keep up with their waste disposal records or face a fine.

He said: “Responsible waste management is vital to increase recycling and reduce landfill but it ought not to be a torturous or overly expensive process for small business.

“Some create very little waste which can be managed alongside their domestic refuse at no additional cost to the business or to the environment.

“Can we have a debate on the extreme interpretation that Bolton Council is putting on the law which results in less recycling, more landfill, small business fines and harassment?”