A man who responded to a Facebook post asking licensed waste carriers to move waste but – checks found – didn’t have a license to do so, later failed to pay a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) issued to him, Swansea Magistrates have been told.
Unknown to James Joyce, 45, of Llangyfelach Road, Swansea, the Facebook post was part of Operation Walt – a joint “test purchase” operation to combat unlicensed waste carriers by Neath Port Talbot Council with partners South Wales Police.
After Mr Joyce responded to the social media post, he removed the waste advertised for £40 from Lonlas Village Workshops in October of last year. He assured a member of staff he spoke to at the workshops “he did everything by the book”.
After driving away with the waste, Mr Joyce was stopped and spoken to by Waste Enforcement Officers. A check confirmed that he did not have a licence to transport waste so he was issued an FPN for the offence.
As payment was not received, on 06/11/2024 a reminder letter was sent to Mr Joyce who made no contact with Waste Enforcement Officers and as such a final reminder letter was sent out via 1st class post on 19/11/2024.
Later, after the FPN was not still not paid he was prosecuted for carrying controlled waste, contrary to s1(5) of the Control of Pollution (amendment) Act 1989.
At Swansea Magistrates Court on Thursday, May 29th, 2025, he pleaded guilty to the offence and was fined £615, ordered to pay costs of £413 and given a £246 victim surcharge – a total of £1,274
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Cllr Scott Jones, Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet Member for Streetscene, said: “The cheap and unlawful removal of waste by unlicensed persons, has an effect on the local economy in that it presents unfair competition to legitimate businesses and this case shows the council and its partners will use every power available to them to bring to justice anyone who moves waste without the proper licence being in place.”
