South Gloucestershire Council

Published: 05/08/2013

Dean Dunster, 23, of Gathorne Crescent, Yate was sentenced to 60 hours unpaid work as part of a community order and ordered to pay £100 costs. He pleaded guilty to fly tipping and transporting waste without being a registered waste carrier or having a waste transfer note.

Dunster collected six bags of waste from another Yate resident. Amongst the rubbish were a number of soiled nappies and food which he illegally dumped in the countryside despite the Yate SORT IT!* Centre being just a few miles away. Dunster committed the enviro-crimes in April this year and charged the customer £15 to dispose of their waste.

Cllr Pat Rooney, Lead member for the council’s Communities Committee, said: “Household waste can be legally disposed of so there is no excuse for fly tipping. Residents can be liable for waste found illegally dumped so it is important to check the credentials of the trader. Our message on preventing fly tipping is simple – if you see it, report it. Call the Street Care helpdesk on 01454 868000 or visit www.southglos.gov.uk/flytipping and fill out an online form.”

Residents can be liable for waste which is dumped illegally and could be fined up to £5,000. The advice from environmental protection officers is to carry out the following simple checks to avoid being caught out:

● Ask to see a copy of the company’s waste carrier registration certificate and ask where your waste is being taken. Legitimate firms will be happy to provide this information.

● Check whether your waste carrier is registered by calling the Environment Agency on 08708 506506

● Request a registered trading address and contact telephone number for the trader and get a receipt.

Residents are encouraged to reuse or recycle any unwanted goods or you take them to your nearest SORT IT!* centre.