Gwendraeth man fined for rubbish offence
A Gwendraeth Valley man has been fined £175 and ordered to pay £264.71 court costs for leaving boxes on the ground by the recycling banks in Cross Hands.
Marlon Smith, aged 21, of Heol Y Parc, Cefneithin, was convicted in his absence for an offence contrary to Section 87 Environmental Protection Act 1990 at Llanelli Magistrates Court.
The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council.
The court heard that on Wednesday, July 6, 2011, the council’s environmental enforcement officers were on dutyat Cross Hands Business Park where they saw a vehicle which was parked up near the recycling banks in the Co-operative car park.
The officers saw a male taking cardboard box from the boot of the vehicle and placing bottles into one of the recycling banks. When he had finished emptying each box, he left them on the ground. He then picked up some boxes from the pile on the ground, walked between the recycling banks, left them on the ground and got into the vehicle.
Smith was issued with a fixed penalty notice for the offence but failed to pay it. He was prosecuted in court as a result.
The council now hopes this fine will act as a warning to others. Unfortunately there is a problem with people dumping rubbish not only at the recycling site in Cross Hands but at other sites across the county. A number of people have been fined in recent months.
Director of Technical Services Richard Workman said: “Unfortunately fly-tipping is becoming an increasing problem at our bring sites and we are very disappointed that they are being misused in this way as they are important facilities for communities. There are signs up at the sites which clearly tell people not to leave any items on the ground. We want to encourage people to recycle as much of their waste as possible, however, people are dumping all types of waste at the sites and leaving their recyclables in plastic bags next to the containers because they are too lazy to empty them into the banks.
“This not only makes the area look unsightly but it costs the council thousands of pounds to clean up. I hope people take notice of these latest fines.”
Environmental enforcement officers regularly patrol the sites and can issue fixed penalty notices for £75. Moreserious offences could lead to fines of up to £50,000 and/or up to five years in prison.
Marlon Smith, aged 21, of Heol Y Parc, Cefneithin, was convicted in his absence for an offence contrary to Section 87 Environmental Protection Act 1990 at Llanelli Magistrates Court.
The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council.
The court heard that on Wednesday, July 6, 2011, the council’s environmental enforcement officers were on dutyat Cross Hands Business Park where they saw a vehicle which was parked up near the recycling banks in the Co-operative car park.
The officers saw a male taking cardboard box from the boot of the vehicle and placing bottles into one of the recycling banks. When he had finished emptying each box, he left them on the ground. He then picked up some boxes from the pile on the ground, walked between the recycling banks, left them on the ground and got into the vehicle.
Smith was issued with a fixed penalty notice for the offence but failed to pay it. He was prosecuted in court as a result.
The council now hopes this fine will act as a warning to others. Unfortunately there is a problem with people dumping rubbish not only at the recycling site in Cross Hands but at other sites across the county. A number of people have been fined in recent months.
Director of Technical Services Richard Workman said: “Unfortunately fly-tipping is becoming an increasing problem at our bring sites and we are very disappointed that they are being misused in this way as they are important facilities for communities. There are signs up at the sites which clearly tell people not to leave any items on the ground. We want to encourage people to recycle as much of their waste as possible, however, people are dumping all types of waste at the sites and leaving their recyclables in plastic bags next to the containers because they are too lazy to empty them into the banks.
“This not only makes the area look unsightly but it costs the council thousands of pounds to clean up. I hope people take notice of these latest fines.”
Environmental enforcement officers regularly patrol the sites and can issue fixed penalty notices for £75. Moreserious offences could lead to fines of up to £50,000 and/or up to five years in prison.
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