Pontypool Man Prosecuted For Illegally Disposing Of Trade Waste

A Pontypool man has been made to pay £1,784 after he illegally disposed of trade waste which ended up fly tipped at the British site near Talywain in October 2015. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Damien Robinson, 29, formally of Trevethin, carried out a painting and decorating job in Bristol and was paid to remove waste from a bathroom and kitchen renovation, despite not having a waste carrier’s license. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He claims to have then sub contracted out the disposal of the waste to a third party and ‘turned a blind eye’ to where it went. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mr Robinson was prosecuted under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 for knowingly permitting the deposit of controlled waste, and also for failing to secure that the transfer of the waste was only to an authorised person and failing to provide a written description of the waste. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He pleaded guilty to two offences at Cwmbran Magistrates Court on Monday 17 October 2016 and was fined £280 for each offence, made to pay £1,196 costs to the council, and a £28 victim surcharge. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Richard Marshall, senior environmental health officer at Torfaen council, said: “Around two thirds of all illegally dumped waste in Wales comes from residential households, and householders have a legal responsibility to ensure that their waste is disposed of properly. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The householder Mr Robinson was working for paid him in good faith to remove the waste which was then dumped illegally. Fortunately in this case the right person was prosecuted, but householders should always check that traders are registered to remove waste or they could be hit with a huge fine.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Gwyneria Clark, Torfaen council’s executive member for planning and public protection, said: “Fly tipping is a serious environmental crime which costs the tax payer thousands of pounds to clear up every year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The British mountain has traditionally been a fly tipping hotspot and we are working in partnership with colleagues in Blaenau Gwent to increase officer patrols and surveillance in this area. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Now that much of the site is to return to public ownership we have a real opportunity to create a cleaner, greener environment for residents and visitors to enjoy, and I would urge anyone who witnesses fly tipping to report it confidentially to the council.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Residents can report any incidents of fly tipping they witness to the council confidentially via www.torfaen.gov.uk, through the Torfaen app, or by calling 01495 762200. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​