A Heathfield resident who dumped over 30 bags of rubbish at their local recycling centre, blocking access, was fined £120 and order to pay £820 costs.—Wealden Council, 5 December 2016
Sadie Jeffs, 29, of Hailsham Road, Heathfield, pleaded guilty to failing to ensure domestic waste produced at her property was disposed of in the correct manner, as required under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Earlier this year, a large amount of general household waste, both in rubbish bags and cardboard boxes from Ms Jeff’s property, was left at the Neighbourhood Recycling Point in Station Road, Heathfield, severely disrupting access to the site for other users.
In the course of investigating the matter, Wealden District Council made several attempts to discuss the incident with Ms Jeffs to allow her to give her version of the events but she failed to attend any of the appointments made.
On 25 November, Hastings Magistrates Court fined Ms Jeffs £120, ordered her to pay costs of £800 to Wealden District Council and a £20 victim surcharge.
“Wealden’s Neighbourhood Recycling Points are for recyclable materials from domestic properties only,” said Councillor Roy Galley, Wealden Cabinet member with responsibility for Waste Management. “Dumping 30 bin bags full of rubbish at the site, blocking access to recycling containers which are used by hundreds of our residents each week, cannot be tolerated. Household and trade waste left at the sites is considered an abuse of the site and is investigated thoroughly.”
Every householder and producer of waste has a Duty of Care to ensure their waste is disposed of correctly to avoid issues and potential prosecution; this may be by placing it in their own household bin, by taking it to a Household Waste and Recycling Site or by paying a registered waste carrier to remove the waste
