A Pencoed woman has learned the hard way, after she has been issued with a £400 Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) for fly-tipping in someone else’s skip.
The woman decided to dispose of her old living room carpet in a skip whilst she was visiting a relative in Rhondda Cynon Taf. She noticed a skip on a drive in Redroofs Close, Brynnau Gwynion and decided to dump her carpet in it.
The neighbour was later shocked to discover the large item in the skip, that they had hired to lawfully remove items from their own property.
Thanks to local neighbourhood watch CCTV footage, provided by Mountain Hare Neighbourhood Watch, they were able to unravel the mystery and catch the perpetrator red handed. The information was then handed to Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Streetcare Enforcement team to take action. The woman has now been spoken to and issued with a £400 Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) for fly-tipping. Failure to pay this, could lead to court action, a criminal record and a much larger fine.
This acts as a clear reminder that residents have a duty of care to dispose of their waste appropriately and to ensure that items are given to a registered waste carrier that will dispose of them lawfully. Failure to do this, could be a skip too far and end up costing you a lot more than your very own skip hire or journey to the local community recycling centre!
Under residents duty of care which is set out in section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990; which applies to anyone who is the holder of controlled waste, whether it is domestic, commercial or industrial – People (residents) must ensure that their waste is managed in a manner that does not cause harm to human health or pollution of the environment.
The Environmental Protection Act 1990 makes it an offence for a householder to not take steps to ensure that their waste is disposed of appropriately and is only passed on to a registered waste carrier. Anyone failing to take these steps could face a hefty fine as this lady discovered!
Fly tipping, dropping litter or allowing your dog to foul in a public place will not be tolerated in Rhondda Cynon Taf and as this latest case shows the Council will use all its available powers and any available footage from community groups/neighbourhood watch CCTV, to catch those responsible for blighting its towns and countryside- every, single, time you do it!
As well as carrying out routine checks around the County Borough and responding to the reports received, the Council has a number of covert, roaming cameras placed in key locations in bid to catch offenders red handed.
Councillor Ann Crimmings, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Heritage Services, said:
“I would urge residents to ensure that they dispose of the waste in the appropriate way or they will be caught and face the consequences. The Council boasts a number of Community Recycling Centres that are able to accommodate the majority of waste that cannot be placed into your normal wheelie bin – including old carpets.
“These centres make recycling and waste disposal easy for residents as the sites are dedicated to their needs.
“The facilities on offer across Rhondda Cynon Taf mean there is no excuse not to act responsibly and dispose of your waste in a considerate way. From dedicated recycling and waste centres to food and dry waste recycling from your door, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has got it covered.”
