Man Fined For Illegally Transporting Waste In Swansea

A Swansea man has been hit with a fine after being caught illegally transporting waste in the city. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Foyzal Bari from Neath Road, Hafod was stopped during a joint ‘Rogue Traders’ stop and search initiative between Swansea Council and South Wales Police in September 2015. During the stop Mr Bari was unable to produce a waste tipping licence for the waste he was carrying. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He was summoned to magistrate’s court after failing to pay a fixed penalty issued to him for the offence. In court he pleaded guilty, under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to illegally transporting waste and not having the correct documentation. He was fined £350, costs £333 (£120 of which legal) and victim surcharge of £35. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The initiative is one of a number of ways in which the council and partner organisations are tackling waste fly-tipping. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Frances Williams, Litter Enforcement Officer in Swansea Council, said: “Responsible waste tipping businesses will usually have the proper credentials which allow them to carry and tip waste legally. If an individual or business that is carrying waste has no tipping licence then it’s fair to question how they will dispose of the waste and will they do it legally. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Many of the instances of fly tipping carried out in Swansea are done by a ‘man in a van’ who offers to collect waste from a residential address and simply dump it on a quiet rural road or a back lane.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The case has also prompted the Council to call on residents to ensure that if they are using the services of a waste tipping company they ask to see details of the company’s tipping credentials. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Ms Williams added: “Residents who employ people to take away their waste could themselves face prosecution if the material is later fly-tipped. Legislation dictates that residents have a ‘Duty of Care’ to make sure the carriers they employ to remove any waste are licensed waste carriers ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It only takes a few minutes for residents to check companies for these details but it is far better than a court appearance.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​