Household Waste Fly Tipped

A Llangennech man has been prosecuted for arranging the removal of household waste that was then fly tipped. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Ethan George pleaded guilty last Friday at Llanelli Magistrates Court an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 – transferring controlled waste to a person without carrying out relevant checks. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The court heard that on Wednesday March 9 last year, as a result of information received Carmarthenshire County Council environmental enforcement officers visited Llethri Road and Trosserch Woods in Llanelli where they saw a pile of black and blue refuse bags. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

At Llethri Road they saw nine blue and black bags and a kitchen chair. A search through the bags revealed evidence relating to a woman living in Llangennech. On arriving at Trosserch Woods they had to walk about 25-30m into the woods where they saw nine blue and black bags. A search through the bags revealed further correspondence relating to the same person. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The following day the officers asked the woman how her waste got dumped and she said she had seen Ethan George advertising on Facebook. She paid him £50 to remove her waste. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

When interviewed, George’s solicitor read out a prepared statement in which George admitted that he arranged to collect the waste from a property in Brynhyfryd, Llangennech, and that he allowed a man to drive off with the waste. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The court was told that whilst officers were unable to prove George was involved in the dumping of the waste, by virtue of his prepared statement he had admitted to arranging the removal of the waste and failing in his duty of care to ensure that the other person involved was registered with Natural Resources Wales to enable him to transport the waste. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Twenty two-year-old George, of Brynhyfryd, Llangennech, was fined £140 and ordered to pay costs of £249 and a victim surcharge of £30. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Carmarthenshire County Council executive board member for environmental and public protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “Fly-tipping is a blight on the landscape and can cause pollution as well as harm to wildlife and other animals. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“People who arrange the removal of waste have a responsibility to ensure reasonable measures are taken to dispose of it properly. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“If anyone needs any advice on disposing of their household or business waste please visit our website.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​