South Gloucestershire Council has secured two more successful convictions after illegally dumped waste was found in the area.
A man from Cadbury Heath has been ordered to pay a total of £1,373 in fines and costs after ten refuse sacks of waste were fly-tipped at Southey Park in Kingswood and a further three refuse sacks fly-tipped at Mill Lane in Warmley.
Constantin Barsan, 34, of Newton Road, Cadbury Heath, appeared at Bristol Magistrates Court on Monday 25 November. He pleaded guilty to failing in his duty of care regarding waste disposal and was handed a £150 fine, ordered to pay £1,163 in costs and a £60 victim surcharge, making a total of £1,373.
The court heard that the waste was found dumped on two occasions in May 2024 and contained several items of packaging and correspondence addressed to Barsan and his partner at Trinity Court in Kingswood and Newton Road, Cadbury Heath. Barsan attended an interview at the council’s Yate offices on Wednesday 4 September. He was shown images of the fly-tipped waste and acknowledged that the packaging and correspondence related to him and his wife, and that it was his waste that had been fly-tipped at both locations.
Barsan explained that he and his family moved into their new home at Newton Road in April 2024. He had assorted items of waste to dispose of and one day, the date of which he is unable to recall, he observed a waste collector with a van doing waste collections in his street. He claimed he approached this person and agreed a price of £25 to take away several bags of waste. He stated he only used this person on the one occasion and had not disposed of any waste himself, however was unable to explain how his waste has subsequently turned up at two separate locations, two weeks apart. Barsan was not given any receipt or waste transfer note, could not describe the waste collector or vehicle used, and did not record the person’s name, phone number or vehicle registration number.
Barsan’s obligations as a householder regarding his duty of care to dispose of his waste lawfully and responsibly were explained to him. He accepted that he did not carry out his duty of care and that he has no tangible information that would assist in tracing the waste carrier used. The interview concluded with the defendant being reported for summons.
A Kingswood woman was ordered to pay £875 in fines and costs after two fly-tips were discovered near each other on Fairford Close, Kingswood.
Rebecca Storror, 40, of Cranham Close in Kingswood also appeared at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on Monday 25 November. She pleaded guilty to failing her waste duty of care responsibilities and was handed a £40 fine, ordered to pay £819 in costs and a £16 victim surcharge.
The court heard that on 21 August 2024 two fly-tips were discovered within 40ft of each other at Fairford Close, Kingswood. This location is a constant hot spot for fly-tipping in Kingswood and incurs significant costs and time for the council to clear. Eight refuse sacks full of ripped cardboard and used animal bedding were removed along with boxes and bags of household waste, a rug, and a dismantled pet cage. Correspondence addressed to Rebecca Storror was found amongst the rubbish.
On Wednesday 28 August, Storror attended the council’s Yate offices for voluntary interview. She was shown photos of the waste dumped at Fairford Close and she acknowledged that the waste from both fly-tips had originated from her address.
Storror stated that she struggled to deal with her household waste, which was overwhelming her, and she has assorted waste stored up the side of her driveway and rear garden. She claimed the fly-tipped waste had been stored on her driveway and one day in August when sat in her front garden she was approached by two unknown males in a truck who offered to remove the waste for £40 cash. Storror could not describe the men or the vehicle, did not note any names or the vehicle registration plate, and was not given a receipt for the transaction. She accepted liability for not exercising her waste duty of care obligations to ensure that the waste would be transferred to a registered and responsible waste carrier for correct disposal and was reported for summons.
Councillor Sean Rhodes, cabinet member responsible for environmental enforcement at South Gloucestershire Council, said: “I’m really pleased that we have secured another two successful prosecutions against those committing waste offences in the area. South Gloucestershire Council takes fly-tipping and illegal waste disposal very seriously as we know it can have a serious impact on the environment and communities. It was especially unwelcome to see fly tipping in Southey Park, a well used and well-loved open green space in Kingswood. The council recognises the value that our parks bring to the wellbeing of residents, and will protect them by seeking to prosecute those who fly-tip in them.
“We all have a responsibility to ensure that our waste is disposed of in a responsible and lawful manner. If you employ a third party to take your waste away you must always ask to see a waste carriers license and make a note of their details, or you could end up being found liable if the waste is illegally dumped. It would be easy to imagine that your responsibility for your rubbish disappears when you pay someone to take it away, but you would be wrong to do so.”
Residents and businesses are advised to only give their rubbish to an Environment Agency registered waste carrier.
Household waste can be taken to the council’s Sort It recycling centres where it can be disposed of at no cost www.southglos.gov.uk/sortitcentres
Residents who see illegal fly-tipping are encouraged to report it by contacting the council’s StreetCare helpdesk on 01454 868000, emailing streetcare@southglos.gov.uk or visiting www.southglos.gov.uk/flytipping
