More fly-tipping success for Ashford’s Environmental Enforcement team

When Ashford’s Environmental Enforcement Team went on patrol in a well-known fly-tipping hotspot they discovered two separate piles of household rubbish dumped close to each other – and now two residents of Singleton have each been hit with a £400 Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN).

A woman living in Haymaker’s Lane admitted dumping her own rubbish at the leafy spot while a man living in Imperial Way admitted paying a man in a van to get rid of his household waste which was then fly-tipped in the same Great Chart lane.

In July Ashford Borough Council’s Environmental Enforcement team was on patrol in Ninn Lane at Great Chart when it discovered rubbish dumped in a ditch. The fly tip consisted of 15 black bags containing household waste including food waste, food packaging, clothes, a large piece of wood and a green builder’s bag containing broken up pieces of wood.

Sifting through the rubbish, evidence was found relating to a man living in Imperial Way. During interview under caution at the Civic Centre he stated that he paid a man in a van to remove waste from his home. He did not ask to see an Environment Agency Waste Carrier’s License or receive a receipt after handing over cash. The man was handed a £400 Fixed Penalty Notice (reduced to £300 if paid within 14 days).

In the second case, the team also found six bags of household rubbish in a ditch in Ninn Lane. Evidence was found addressed to a woman living in Haymakers Lane. During interview under caution at the Civic Centre she admitted fly-tipping the waste herself. The woman was handed a £400 Fixed Penalty Notice.

A spokesman for the Environmental Enforcement team says that despite recent publicity on fly-tipping, householders continue to trust “complete strangers” to dispose of their waste without asking for proof that they are licensed to do so, or obtaining a proper receipt for the transaction.

“It is vital that householders adhere to their Duty of Care and always ask to see the Waste Carriers Environment Agency licence. I can’t believe that residents still hand over large amounts of cash to people that they have never dealt with before. Always get a receipt or invoice for any payments of services made and always ensure that it has the full contact details of the service provider.

“If your waste is fly-tipped and we discover that you have failed carry out the necessary checks then you face a £400 Fixed Penalty Notice!”

Legal duty of care

Households and also businesses have a legal duty of care when it comes to what happens to their waste. Before using someone to dispose of your rubbish you must carry out checks to ensure that the waste collectors are registered with the Environmental Agency and carry an authorised licence.

Beware rogue waste carriers

The Ashford team warn that fly-tippers often target households via social media or local advertising, luring customers in with cheap rates to dispose of unwanted furniture, building rubble or garden waste. But these unlicensed waste carriers often simply dump the waste wherever they can get away with it, including in Ashford’s country lanes.

Householders or small businesses found to be using these rogues to dispose of their waste can be prosecuted by the Council, with FPNs of up to £400 per offence. Failure to pay may result in court action.

You can check whether someone is licensed to carry waste by calling the Environment Agency on 03708 506506 or visit their website.

It also helps if householders receive a written receipt or transfer note, including contact details, description of waste removed and details of where the waste is being taken to.

Report fly-tipping

Many of the leads that end with offenders being caught come from residents alerting the Council’s team to fly-tipping incidents by using the Report It page on our website.