Unlicensed waste carrier caught fly-tipping in Thanet ordered to pay out over £7,000

A Ramsgate resident has been successfully prosecuted by Thanet District Council for two incidences of fly-tipping in Thanet.

The case which was heard at Folkestone Magistrate’s Court on Monday 25 March resulted in a very hefty fine for the 33 year old man from Ramsgate.

The District Judge found the defendant “guilty” on two counts of depositing waste, having heard evidence and witness statements. On each count the defendant was fined £2,640, a sum based on Band F of Environmental Sentencing guidelines.

In total, he was ordered to pay £7,203.51 within 28 days. This includes a fine of £5280, £855 in legal costs, £428.51 enforcement costs and £470 compensation to the landowner where the waste was dumped, as well as £170 victim surcharge.

The fly-tips were discovered on farmland on Chalk Hill, Ramsgate, and in an alleyway in St Lawrence last June, and consisted of household waste from a Thanet resident’s property. Included in the fly-tips were personal documentation and sentimental private paperwork linked to the family and property.

On this occasion, the defendant took waste away and rather than disposing of it properly, chose to dump it instead. It is not uncommon for the enforcement officers at Thanet District Council to find that acts of fly-tipping are committed by local people. A considerable amount of time and budget is invested in cleaning up fly-tipped waste in the District.

Gavin Waite, Director of Operational and Commercial Services at Thanet District Council said: “Fly-tipping is a crime and dumped waste is a blight on the local landscape. Anyone who offers to remove waste must be licensed to do so. People ought to be aware that they shouldn’t just hand their waste over to someone who is offering to take it away, unless they’ve checked their credentials. It might seem like a good deal at the time but the person whose waste it is could also face some serious consequences if it ends up being dumped illegally.”

Waste disposal

• Residents have a duty of care to ensure they only give their waste to registered waste carriers. This can be checked on the Environment Agency website.
• Thanet District Council offers its residents a bulky waste collection service for a nominal sum.
• Kent County Council operates a recycling centre at Manston Road which is open daily.

Reporting fly-tipping

The enforcement team fully investigates sites where fly-tipping has taken place and whenever possible, those who have dumped waste illegally are prosecuted.

Anyone who witnesses fly-tipping is encouraged to report it online or directly to sse@thanet.gov.uk