A woman from South Gloucestershire has been prosecuted for waste offences and ordered to pay £360 following a fly-tipping incident near North Street in Oldland Common.
Paige Allen of North Street, Oldland Common pleaded guilty at Bristol Magistrates Court on 18 August to failing in her duty of care when disposing of waste and failing to attend an interview in relation to the fly-tip. She was fined £180, ordered to pay £100 in costs and a victim surcharge of £80.
On 14 November 2024, mixed household waste including children’s toys, clothing, and general rubbish was found dumped on a path running alongside the railway line just off North Street.
Officers from South Gloucestershire Council’s Environmental Enforcement team investigated the fly-tip and traced packaging found in the waste to a nearby address where Allen was living. Allen admitted asking her brother to dispose of the waste but claimed not to know how it had been disposed of.
Despite repeated attempts to arrange an interview with Allen, she failed to attend multiple appointments and did not respond to further contact from the Council.
Councillor Sean Rhodes, cabinet member responsible for environmental enforcement at South Gloucestershire Council, said: “This successful prosecution sends a clear message that we will not tolerate fly-tipping in South Gloucestershire. Everyone has a legal responsibility to ensure their waste is properly disposed of, and failing to do so can result in a fine and criminal record.
“We urge residents to be cautious when using third parties to remove waste. Always check that they are registered waste carriers and ask where the waste is going. There are safe and legal ways to dispose of rubbish, including the council’s Sort-It Recycling Centres and bulky waste collection service.”
Residents and businesses are advised to only give their rubbish to an Environment Agency registered waste carrier.
You can carry out these simple steps to make sure your waste is disposed of legally:
• Ask for a copy of the company’s waste carrier registration certificate and ask where the waste is being taken. Legitimate firms will be happy to provide this information.
• Do not be tempted to use people offering cheap waste clearance on sites such as Facebook and Gumtree unless you have confirmed that they are registered with the Environment Agency.
• Check whether the waste carrier is registered by calling the Environment Agency on 08708 506506 or by checking on their website https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers
• Ask for a registered trading address and contact telephone number for the trader and get a receipt.
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
