Llanelli woman fined for recycling offence
A Llanelli woman has been fined £200 and ordered to pay court costs of £150 for failing to comply with the council’s recycling scheme.
Lucy Marie Thomas, aged 22, of Catherine Street, was convicted in absence over an offence contrary to Section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act, 1990 at Ammanford Magistrates Court.
The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council.
The court heard that the council’s environmental enforcement officers had found a number of blue bags to the rear lane of the property which contained waste that could not be recycled. Evidence was found amongst the waste linking it to Thomas. As a result she was issued with a notice to comply with the council’s recycling scheme.
However, she failed to do so and approximately four weeks later more blue bags were found which did not contain the right type of waste for recycling. Thomas was issued with a fixed penalty notice for £100, however she failed to pay it and as a result was prosecuted through the courts.
It is now hoped this fine will act as a warning to other residents to make sure they comply with the council’s recycling scheme.
Executive Director of Technical Services Richard Workman said: “If a resident continually ignores the council’s advice and repeated warnings it has no choice but to prosecute them. However, this is a last resort and we hope residents will act responsibly by co-operating with our recycling scheme as much as possible.”
Householders are being reminded that green food bins are collected weekly with black bags and blue bags collected on alternate weeks.
Executive board member for the environment Councillor Philip Hughes said: “It is important people put the correct bags out on the correct weeks and with the correct items in them. If residents are unsure of what to do or run out of blue bags then please get in touch and our officers will be more than happy to advise them. We don’t want to fine people, we want to help them as best we can. It is vital we recycle as much of our waste as possible.”
The county must achieve a 52 per cent recycling/composting rate by 2012/13. We must also reduce the amount of waste going to landfill or we could face fines potentially running into millions of pounds.
Lucy Marie Thomas, aged 22, of Catherine Street, was convicted in absence over an offence contrary to Section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act, 1990 at Ammanford Magistrates Court.
The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council.
The court heard that the council’s environmental enforcement officers had found a number of blue bags to the rear lane of the property which contained waste that could not be recycled. Evidence was found amongst the waste linking it to Thomas. As a result she was issued with a notice to comply with the council’s recycling scheme.
However, she failed to do so and approximately four weeks later more blue bags were found which did not contain the right type of waste for recycling. Thomas was issued with a fixed penalty notice for £100, however she failed to pay it and as a result was prosecuted through the courts.
It is now hoped this fine will act as a warning to other residents to make sure they comply with the council’s recycling scheme.
Executive Director of Technical Services Richard Workman said: “If a resident continually ignores the council’s advice and repeated warnings it has no choice but to prosecute them. However, this is a last resort and we hope residents will act responsibly by co-operating with our recycling scheme as much as possible.”
Householders are being reminded that green food bins are collected weekly with black bags and blue bags collected on alternate weeks.
Executive board member for the environment Councillor Philip Hughes said: “It is important people put the correct bags out on the correct weeks and with the correct items in them. If residents are unsure of what to do or run out of blue bags then please get in touch and our officers will be more than happy to advise them. We don’t want to fine people, we want to help them as best we can. It is vital we recycle as much of our waste as possible.”
The county must achieve a 52 per cent recycling/composting rate by 2012/13. We must also reduce the amount of waste going to landfill or we could face fines potentially running into millions of pounds.
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