In a case heard by Eastbourne Magistrates on September 13, a man who posed as a waste transporter was fined a total of £4,754.25 ‘for failing to be properly registered with the Environment Agency and transferring waste without the proper documentation’. The prosecution was brought by Wealden District Council
“The requirement for waste carriers to be registered plays an important part in ensuring controlled waste is transported and disposed of legally and safely. Without it, we run the risk of the countryside being covered with fly tips dumped by cowboy operators,” said Councillor Ann Newton, Cabinet Member for Planning and Development.
“This applies to commercial, industrial and household waste. I would urge any member of the public who is concerned about the legality of someone they are paying to dispose of their rubbish to check their registration on the Environment Agency’s web site.”
Mr Robin Garnett (33) of Observatory View, Hailsham, was charged with failing to be registered as a carrier of controlled waste while seeking to profit from carrying such waste, and failing to have the required transfer notes when transferring waste.
The offences took place between 5 December 2012 and 4 February 2013.
Mr Garnett failed to attend the hearing on 13 September 2013 at Eastbourne Magistrates’ Court and the bench dealt with him in his absence.
He was found guilty and fined £2,000 for each offence, and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £354.25 and victim surcharge of £400.
The Environment Agency’s list of Registered Waste Carriers, Brokers and Dealers can be found on the Agency’s website, www.environment-agency.gov.uk.
