Kirkby resident fined for paying unauthorised person to dispose of waste

A Kirkby resident has been fined £200 for paying an unregistered waste carrier to remove waste from their home.

The Council’s Community Safety Team attended an address on Dawgates Lane, Skegby to investigate an environmental crime scene, following reports from residents.

Officers found a huge fly tip consisting of toys, bags, sawdust and animal waste which was attracting rats and flies. Documentation was found amongst the rubbish which related to a property and individual in Kirkby in Ashfield. Officers interviewed the resident and found that they had paid an unregistered waste carrier, advertised on Facebook, to remove waste from their home. As such the resident failed in their responsibility to use a registered provider.

This resulted in the resident receiving a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) for Household Duty of Care, an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, costing £200.

The Community Safety Team are also investigating the waste carrier responsible for fly tipping the rubbish and will be taking appropriate action against them to ensure they do not operate unlawfully again.

Cllr Helen-Ann Smith, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Crime Reduction said:

“It is really important to remember that your waste is your responsibility, even if you pay someone to remove and dispose of it. It’s your duty to research before you pay a waste carrier and check that they are licensed. It is tempting to use someone cheap from social media but in the long run it could cost you more when you end up paying the large fine if they fly tip your waste.

“Fly tipping is a high priority for the Council; it is a serious criminal offence and a blight on our communities. We are dedicated to cleaning up the District and clamping down on people who commit environmental crimes. We will not hesitate to use our enforcement powers to fine fly tippers, and the 80 FPNs we have issued since April 2021 prove that.”