Woman fined £400 after rubbish is dumped by unlicensed waste remover
A woman from Smethwick who paid an unlicensed waste carrier to take away bags of rubbish which were later dumped has been fined £400.
Sandwell Council's environmental enforcement officers came across the fly-tipped items in the Black Patch area of Smethwick last week.
Evidence found in the bags linked the rubbish on Perrott Street with an address – where the householder admitted paying someone £80 to dispose of them.
She was ordered to pay a £400 Fixed Penalty Notice after officers found she didn't have the correct documentation under the legal duty of care.
The law states anyone paying someone to dispose of any waste must ensure they use a reputable businesses with a waste carrier's licence. Householders must also retain documents from the waste carrier which states the waste carrier's name, address, waste carrier licence number, registration number, what they are collecting and where they are taking it to dispose of.
Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for environment Councillor Ahmad Bostan said: “This is a lesson to anyone using unlicensed waste carriers that you could be risking a big fine if they do not dispose of your rubbish legally.
“Many people use social media sites to find people who remove waste. However, they often don’t have waste carrier licences, and they don’t give the householder the proper documents to show they are disposing of the waste legally.
“If a householder fails to comply with their responsibilities, they will receive a £400 Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN).
“The FPN is reduced to £200 if paid within 10 days – but it’s still a big fine, especially if someone has already spent money on having rubbish removed by an individual or company who then goes on to dump it.”
