BE AWARE! Woman fined after rubbish is found dumped in Cottingham

A woman has been ordered to pay a total of £330 after rubbish belonging to her was found dumped in Cottingham.

The lady admitted paying a man £50 to take away around eight black bin bags full of household rubbish – which were later found fly-tipped in Middledyke Lane, Cottingham.

She pleaded guilty to failing in her duty of care by not checking she was using an authorised waste carrier when she appeared at Hull Magistrates’ Court on Friday 1 March.

She was fined £40 and was ordered to pay £260 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

The court heard that on 13 August last year streetscene enforcement officers from East Riding of Yorkshire Council found a pile of rubbish dumped in Middledyke Lane, an area frequently blighted by fly-tipping

The waste included a mattress, bags of damp hay, wood, textiles and bags of household rubbish.

Evidence was found at the scene and further enquiries led the officers to the lady. She admitted to the officers that some of the bags of household rubbish were hers, but not all of the items.

The officers were advised she had seen a man collecting waste from the area she lives and paid him £50 to remove the bin bags from her home. She did not receive a receipt from the man and did not make any checks to verify he was a registered waste carrier.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council continues to inform residents they are responsible for disposing of their own waste properly and legally.

Residents are urged to take any waste that can’t go in their bins to their local household waste recycling site, or hire a licensed waste carrier to take the rubbish away, or use the council’s own bulky waste collection service.

When hiring anyone to take away rubbish, residents are urged to always follow the council’s SCRAP Code (SEE BELOW) which advises what checks they need to make.

To operate legally any firm that removes waste has to be registered with the Environment Agency as a licensed waste carrier.

Residents themselves could face an unlimited fine in court if any fly-tipped waste can be traced back to where it came from.

Paul Tripp, head of streetscene services at the council, said: “We would urge residents not to use the services of people calling at their homes and offering to take away rubbish, but instead use properly registered waste carriers, get a receipt and take the person’s details.

“The responsibility lies with the resident to make the necessary checks to ensure their waste will be disposed of correctly and legally – or they could be the ones appearing in court.”

Anyone caught fly-tipping could be ordered to pay a £400 fixed penalty notice and, if unpaid, the issue will be taken to court, where they could face an unlimited fine or even imprisonment.

Fly-tipping information:

To find your nearest household waste recycling site visit the council’s website eastriding.gov.uk and search for ‘recycling’.
For guidance on how to check if a person is a licensed registered waste carrier visit the council’s website eastriding.gov.uk/fly-tipping.

The council provides a service offering to take away bulky waste, which costs £30 for up to five items, and can be booked through the website. Just search for ‘bulky waste collections’.

Residents can report any fly-tipping or suspicious activity to the council on 01482 393939, or online at eastriding.gov.uk/fly-tipping

People are asked not to touch any fly-tipped waste or approach anyone they see fly-tipping.

SCRAP Code 

Suspect – Beware of rogue waste carriers. Reputable companies do not usually make direct approaches. If in any doubt as to whether someone is a legitimate waste carrier, do not allow them to take your waste.
Check – Ask to see their waste carrier registration details and verify them by checking the online register at environment-agency.gov.uk/publicregister or by calling the Environment Agency on 03708 506 506. Note down the registration number of the vehicle used to take your waste away.
Refuse – Refuse unsolicited offers to have any rubbish taken away. Always carry out your own research and choose who you wish to approach.
Ask – Always ask what exactly is going to happen to your rubbish and seek evidence that it is going to be disposed of appropriately. A legitimate, professional waste carrier who wants your business should not object to being asked reasonable questions.
Paperwork – Make sure you get a proper receipt containing the written information for your waste. This should include what has been removed and where it will be going. Make sure the firm’s or trades person’s details are included.