A cow has been legally approved to dispose of household waste, which campaigners say shows how easy it is for criminals to gain a waste carrier license.
The cow, named Beau Vine, was approved for the license in seconds after his owner, Ann Maidment, the director of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) South West, applied on his behalf.
The CLA says the stunt shows how easy it is for criminals to exploit the system to appear legitimate before illegally dumping people’s waste.
Maidment said that while Beau Vine excels at ‘eating grass, lounging in the sun and a leisurely moo’, waste management is beyond his remit.
“That he should be approved for a license in under three seconds reveals something alarming: not even the most basic background checks are being done,” she continued. “And it raises a worrying question: if a cow can get a license, who is the government actually turning away?”
The CLA are calling for stronger background checks and verification to stop rogue operators and fly-tippers from being approved for waste carrier licenses.
Currently, anyone applying for a waste carrier license is required only to provide a name, address, and contact information, and to pay a small fee.
No identification is required, and while applicants are asked whether they have any unspent convictions, this is not checked immediately.
“A system that approves applicants instantly and without scrutiny is not regulating waste. It is smoothing the path to dump it,” Maidment continued.
“Government must introduce proper checks, verification, and standards to stop rubber-stamping fly-tippers and start protecting the communities they harm.”
