The boss of a vending machine company has slammed a council for "bureaucracy gone mad" after his firm was given a warning for having just three empty coffee wrappers and pods on the back seat.<br /><br />The driver for Fairtrade Vending Ltd, was stopped as part of a police and council operation on May 19.<br /><br />When the officers checked the van they found three gold empty coffee wrappers and pods in the back.<br /><br />Medway council sent a letter to the company's director, Mike Steel, to advise that he should get a correct waste carrier license to avoid any formal enforcement action.<br /><br />The letter said: “Going forward should vehicles of the Fairtrade Vending Ltd be stopped and are carrying waste, formal enforcement action may be taken.”<br /><br />The company, based in Strood, Kent, refills, cleans and repairs coffee machines and its vending machines.<br /><br />Rubbish is usually left at the premises the workers have visited but in this case they were put back in the box with other supplies.<br /><br />Mr Steel, 63, said he was absolutely shocked when he received the letter saying formal action could be taken.<br /><br />He said: “The driver mentioned he had been stopped but the van had no issues and then we get this letter through. What for? Three empty coffee sleeves.<br /><br />“It is just bureaucracy gone mad. Every van in the world has some rubbish in it.”<br /><br />He added: “It just beggars belief. It is too much bureaucracy and red tape. You will get fined for three foil sleeves.<br /><br />“As if there is not enough red-tape and bureaucracy to deal with in running a business, especially in these trying times.<br /><br />“Medway Council has told us our business rateable value has increased by 94 per cent as of April and yet they are worrying about three empty sleeves of coffee.”<br /><br />The letter from an environment enforcement officer was dated the May 25.<br /><br />The officer said the grey Vauxhall Vivaro had been stopped as part of a multi-agency operation which involved the Kent Police, the DVSA and the local authority.<br /><br />It read: “Having spoken with the driver it was discovered waste was being carried, potentially, without the correct or any waste carrier licence being held.<br /><br />“The waste that was being carried were empty coffee wrappers and pods inside cardboard boxes.<br /><br />“Going forward should vehicles of the Fairtrade Vending Ltd be stopped and are carrying waste, formal enforcement action may be taken.”<br /><br />Mr Steel said: “It is the same as if you had a crisp packet in the front. You get coffee cups in there. It is just ridiculous.<br /><br />"I don't see the need for a waste carrier licence but we contacted them and were told, no, we need a waste carrier licence.<br /><br />"Probably most vans in the country have empty rubbish or stuff in the back. It's just bureaucracy OTT."<br /><br />All waste that is from a commercial activity is classed as business waste and any organisation which transports waste, buys, sells or disposes of waste or arranges for someone else to do so must register for a licence.
