Tag: flytipping

Scrap Man Fined £800 For Operating Without Licence

By on 17th January 2016in In & Around

A scrap man has been landed with a bill of more than £800 for operating without the proper licence…

 

Officers from Durham County Council were carrying out stop and checks as part of Operation Stop It last June when they spotted a white Ford Transit van, magistrates in Peterlee heard on Friday 8th January.

The two occupants appeared to be looking in gardens and yards for scrap.

One of the occupants, Ben Mitchell, told officers that he had been collecting scrap items around Chester-le-Street and that he did have documents to prove this, but he didn’t have them with him.

He also admitted that he did not have a scrap metal licence, the court heard.

He was handed a producer requiring copies of waste transfer notes between April and June 2015.

Meanwhile, checks revealed that Mitchell was not licensed by Durham County Council as a scrap collector.

He was unable to produce the appropriate waste transfer notes and he was handed a £300 fixed penalty notice, which remains unpaid.

Mitchell, 28, of Don Dixon Drive, Jarrow, pleaded guilty to failing to produce waste transfer notes and was found guilty, following a trial of carrying on business as a scrap metal dealer without a licence.

The Scrap Metal Dealers Act was introduced in 2013, following a surge in crimes linked to scrap metal theft, and means anyone carrying scrap metal as part of their business must hold a licence.

Mitchell, who represented himself, told the court that he had an Environment Agency permit for waste collection, and mistakenly believed that this would cover him.

Magistrates took into account his apparent lack of understanding that he would need a scrap metal licence to cover him in each individual local authority.

He was fined a total of £295 for the two offences, and ordered to pay £500 costs and a £25 victim surcharge.

Ian Hoult, Durham County Council’s neighbourhood protection manager, said: “Anyone who buys, sells or collects scrap metal in County Durham is required by law to hold a licence issued by us.

“We carry out regular stop and check operations throughout the county to make sure anybody carrying waste holds the appropriate licence, and we will take action against those who don’t. We are pleased that magistrates have viewed this matter seriously.”

For more information, and to apply for a scrap metal dealers licence, visit www.durham.gov.uk/article/2173/scrap-metal-dealers-licence or call 03000 260 016.

Find out more about Operation Stop It at www.durham.gov.uk/flytipping.

Neighbourhood Wardens Pheasantly Surprised By Flytipping Footage

By on 4th November 2015in Local Biz, What's New?

Flytippers come in all shapes and sizes, but thankfully the latest individual caught on covert cameras is unlikely to be brought before the beak…

 

As part of Operation Stop It – the biggest ever crackdown on the illegal dumping of waste in County Durham – CCTV was hidden at known hotspots.

But when Durham County Council’s neighbourhood wardens checked the cameras recently, they found the latest images were no aviary day footage – with a curious pheasant in a flap as it took a video selfie.

Durham County Council’s neighbourhood protection manager Ian Hoult said: “There was some excitement in the office when it was thought that one of our cameras had been triggered and again caught a criminal.

“But thankfully on this occasion, nobody had fallen fowl of the law.”

Flytipping is a serious offence which blights the environment, can pollute rivers and other waterways, endangers wildlife, and is costly to clean up. If waste is flytipped and is traced back to you, you could be prosecuted and fined up to £50,000.

Launched in November 2014, Operation Stop It sees Durham County Council working in partnership with Durham Police, Crimestoppers and the Environment Agency to target those who illegally dump waste.

It also aims to ensure families understand their responsibility to make sure their rubbish – including furniture, household appliances and building materials – is disposed of properly.

Since the campaign started it has resulted in a 29% decrease in flytipping in the county.

Ian Hoult said: “Stopping flytipping is our main objective, and we urge people to get in touch if they suspect someone is operating without the correct paperwork or if they know someone who dumps waste instead of paying to dispose of it properly.

“We’re also reminding businesses, whether it’s a plumbing firm needing to get rid of boilers and baths or a joinery company needing to dispose of old kitchen units, that they must make sure they are registered and that they dispose of waste correctly.”

To report flytipping, call 03000 26 1000 or visit www.durham.gov.uk. Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers – anonymously – on 0800 555 111.

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