Published: Monday, 14th December 2020
An illegal waste carrier has been order to pay £437 by Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court following a joint operation by the Council and Police.
Fifty-nine year old Robert Collins of 10 Lionel Road, Erith pleaded guilty to transporting waste without a transfer notice at the court hearing on Wednesday 9 December 2020.
Mr Collins was stopped at the Co-Op petrol station in Swanley by Sevenoaks District Council and the Police on 31 October 2018. They found a large pile of waste, consisting mainly of old fire extinguishers, in the back of Mr Collins’ van.
Mr Collins admitted he did not have a waste carrier’s licence or a transfer note and was cautioned and handed an on-the-spot fine by the Council.
However, Mr Collins did not pay the fine and was summoned to attend Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court on 7 June 2019. Mr Collins failed to appear at court.
Undeterred, the Council successfully brought Mr Collins before the court on 9 December 2020.
At Court, Mr Collins pleaded guilty to a charge of transporting waste without a waste transfer notice. Mr Collins, who is currently unemployed, was ordered to pay a £320 fine, £85 in costs and a £32 victim surcharge. The Court was clear that this was a serious offence and the fine would have been higher had Mr Collins been in work.
The Council’s Cabinet Member for ‘Cleaner and Greener’, Cllr Margot McArthur, says: “Our dedicated fly-tipping investigation team work on a number of fronts to protect our District, including preventative operations such as this.”
“Although it may be tempting to hire a cheap waste removal contractor, it is the responsibility of businesses and residents to check that the collector has a waste carrier’s license. Failing to do so could result in the rubbish being fly-tipped in our District.”
To check if a removal service has a license, call the Environment Agency on 08708 506 506 and ask for a free instant Waste Carrier Validation Check, alternatively check online at https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers.
To report a case of fly-tipping, visit www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/flytipping or call 01732 227000.
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