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Victor Rotundu of Cobham Road, Bristol, entered a guilty plea at North Somerset Magistrates Court on Friday 15 December for fly-tipping waste on Yanley Lane in Long Ashton in June 2023.
The fly-tipped waste consisted of 11 domestic fridge freezer appliances. The offence was witnessed by a local resident who reported it with the vehicle registration number of the vehicle used. Officers found that Mr Rotundu had hired the vehicle at the time the offence took place.
Mr Rotundu was ordered to pay a total of £1,518: a fine of £200 and North Somerset Council’s full costs of £1,318.
Welcoming the outcome of the prosecution, Councillor Annemieke Waite, North Somerset Council's executive member responsible for climate and waste, said: “Fly-tipping is completely unacceptable. It has a negative impact on our local environment and communities.
“North Somerset Council will vigorously investigate all fly-tipping incidents and issue fixed penalty notices or prosecute individuals when sufficient evidence is found.
“I’d like to remind residents using private companies to collect their waste of the importance in checking that they’re registered with the environment agency. Waste carriers should always provide paperwork showing their full contact details and a description of the waste taken. It’s also useful if residents make a note of the vehicle the waste carrier used, including the registration number. This information allows officers to trace the keeper of the vehicle if the waste ends up being fly-tipped.”
Follow these simple steps to make sure your waste is disposed legally:
- S - Suspect all waste carriers. Don't let them take your waste until they have proven themselves to be legitimate. A professional waste carrier should happily answer reasonable questions.
- C - Check that a waste carrier is registered on the Environment Agency's website.
- R - Refuse any unexpected offers to have your rubbish taken away.
- A - Ask what will happen to your rubbish and seek evidence that it is going to be disposed of appropriately.
- P - Paperwork must be obtained - a proper invoice, waste transfer note or receipt, including a description of the waste being removed and the waste carrier’s contact details.
North Somerset residents can dispose of their household waste at any of the council’s recycling centres at Backwell, Portishead and Weston-super-Mare.
Residents who find fly-tipped waste should report it to the council as soon as possible at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/flytipping.