A man from Pill has been ordered to pay more than £1,600 for fly-tipping a bathtub filled with garden waste after being prosecuted by North Somerset Council.
Anthony Newbury, of Marine Parade in Pill, entered a guilty plea at North Somerset Magistrates Court on 6 May for fly-tipping waste on Royal Portbury Dock on two separate occasions last summer.
Officers were able to use CCTV footage capturing both offences to trace the vehicle registration back to Newbury.
The authority's executive tasked with cleaning up neighbourhoods welcomed the court's decision and insists the council will 'vigorously' chase up all flytipping incidents.
Cllr Mike Solomon said: "Fly-tipping is completely unacceptable.
"It has a negative impact on our local environment and communities.
“North Somerset Council will vigorously investigate all incidents of fly-tipping and issue fixed penalty notices or prosecute individuals when sufficient evidence is found."
Along with garden waste, the aforementioned bathtub dumped at the docks was also full of plasterboard.
Newbury was ordered to pay a total of £1,623.40: a fine of £346 for each of the two offences, a victim surcharge of £69, and North Somerset Council’s full costs of £862.40.
Cllr Solomon added: “I would like to remind residents using private companies to collect their waste of the importance of checking that they are registered with the environment agency.
"Waste carriers should always provide paperwork showing their full contact details and a description of the waste taken.
"It is also useful if residents make a note of the vehicle they used, including the registration number. This information allows officers to trace the keeper of the vehicle if the waste ends up being fly-tipped.”
The council also encourages residents to use the S.C.R.A.P system to ensure their waste is disposed of legally.
- S - Suspect all waste carriers. Don't let them take your waste until they have proven themselves to be legitimate. A professional waste carrier should happily answer reasonable questions.
- C - Check that a waste carrier is registered on the Environment Agency's website.
- R - Refuse any unexpected offers to have your rubbish taken away.
- A - Ask what will happen to your rubbish and seek evidence that it is going to be disposed of appropriately.
- P - Paperwork must be obtained - a proper invoice, waste transfer note or receipt, including a description of the waste being removed and the waste carrier’s contact details.
Residents who find fly-tipped waste can report it to the council via www.n-somerset.gov.uk/flytipping.
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