A Bassingbourn man has been fined after a load of waste was dumped in trolleys at Royston’s Tesco Extra.
Justin Whelan – of Cardiff Place – paid a person to dispose of six bags of domestic household waste, without checking if they were a licenced waste carrier.
The bags were illegally fly-tipped in shopping trolleys at Tesco in Royston’s Old North Road, with the contents traced back to him.
Whelan pleaded guilty at Stevenage Magistrates’ Court on Friday to failing in his duty of care to dispose of waste appropriately, contrary to section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
He was fined £500, had to pay a victim surcharge of £50 and North Herts District Council’s costs of £579.03 – for a combined total of £1,129.03.
The same day, Ryan Smyth of Cutlers Green in Luton pleaded guilty of fly-tipping waste including a child’s tricycle, wicker picnic basket, suitcase, pieces of MDF and Christmas decorations on a public footpath between Charlton and Offley in North Hertfordshire.
He was fined £200, had to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and the district council’s costs of £600 – a total of £830.
Councillor Bernard Lovewell, the district council’s executive member for housing and environmental health, said: “Fly-tipping is a serious problem. It is not only a blight on our landscape, but is potentially hazardous to local people and wildlife.
“We are very pleased with these verdicts and hope it will serve as a deterrent to any would-be fly tippers. We also urge residents to always check that those offering waste carrier services have an appropriate licence to dispose of waste.”
If you are looking to dispose of waste, NHDC advises you to ask the waste carrier to provide you with their full address and telephone number and ask to see their waste carrier licence issued by the Environment Agency.
Contact the Environment Agency directly on 08708 506 506 and ask for a free instant waste carrier validation check, or you can check on the Environment Agency website at www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency.
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