Surrey resident fails to check his waste was being properly handled
A Surrey man has been fined in court after waste he paid to be removed was found in a fly-tip on the A31, near Four Marks.
Freddie Loveridge, of Brunner Court, Ottershaw, admitted to magistrates that he did not check whether the company he employed to take his waste away were properly authorised to do so.
Everyone has a legal ‘duty of care’ to ensure their waste is disposed of properly and you can be prosecuted even if your waste is fly tipped by someone else on your behalf.
On 21 November, in Basingstoke Magistrates Court, Loveridge was given a £200 fine and ordered to pay £150 compensation, £80 victim surcharge and £300 costs.
Loveridge did not attend court on two occasions, therefore the court issued a warrant for his arrest. He was subsequently arrested and held in a police cell until the following day when he appeared in court
Loveridge admitted in his interview that he gave his business waste to anyone who was passing and made no checks and did not get a receipt or written description of the waste.
Cllr Tony Costigan, EHDC's Portfolio Holder for Property, said: “Fly tipping is a serious issue – it damages the environment, it’s harmful for wildlife, it’s expensive to clear and it looks awful. We had 1,400 fly tips in East Hampshire last year and it costs us thousands of pounds to clear up.
“For that reason we have introduced our District Team who investigate fly tips and, where possible, prosecute the fly tippers or those who have enabled them.
“Everyone has a legal duty of care to check their waste is being removed by an authorised carrier and to take a proper receipt. Failure to do that can land you in court.
“If it's your waste, it's your responsibility.”
How can you avoid a fine?
If you have rubbish you need to dispose of, book a trip to the tip (Household Waste Recycling Centre) or contact an approved waste carrier (don’t fall for people knocking on your door).
When they take your waste, you should get a waste transfer note as a receipt to show who took it. That way, if it is fly tipped, you’ll be able to show you did everything you could to ensure it was disposed of correctly.
You could also use our bulky waste collection service.
How do you report a fly tip?
If you see someone in the process of fly tipping, please phone the police on 101.
If the fly tip is blocking the road, please contact Hampshire County Council.
Please be aware that fly-tips can contain dangerous and hazardous materials, so for your own safety we ask you not to touch any tip you may find. Also, please do not remove anything from the fly tip as this could compromise any prosecution that may result from our investigation.