A man formerly of Patchway has been ordered to pay a total of £1,407 in fines and costs after South Gloucestershire Council prosecuted him for fly-tipping waste in Aust.
Rob Edwards, 45, of no fixed abode, appeared at Bristol Magistrates Court on 27 October. He pleaded guilty to failing in his duty of care regarding waste, and was handed a fine of £380, ordered to pay costs of £875 and a victim surcharge of £152, making a total of £1,407.
The court heard that a fly-tip of household items and waste was discovered on Redhill Lane, Aust on 4 January 2025. Documentation relating to Rob Edwards was found amongst the rubbish. Further enquiries led the council’s environmental enforcement officers to an address in Windermere Road, Patchway where Edwards was living at the time.
Edwards was interviewed under caution on 5 June where he claimed someone had offered to remove the waste from his Patchway address for no payment, however he could not provide a name or identify them at all. He was advised he would be reported for summons for the offence.
Edwards was scheduled to appear before Bristol Magistrates Court on 13 October 2025 but failed to do so resulting in the case being adjourned until 27 October, where he appeared and pleaded guilty to failing in his duty of care.
Councillor Sean Rhodes, cabinet member responsible for environmental enforcement at South Gloucestershire Council, said: “I hope our enforcement action against fly-tipping acts as a deterrent to anyone who fails in their duty of care for waste disposal. If you dump waste illegally in South Gloucestershire, we will take enforcement action against you.
“Fly-tipping is not just an eyesore – it’s a crime that damages our environment and burdens our communities. We urge residents to always check that waste carriers are properly licensed and to report any suspicious activity.
“Residents are advised to be wary of businesses or people advertising waste clearances on social media sites such as Facebook. There are a number of legitimate options for waste removal, including the council’s large household waste collection service. If you hire a third-party to dispose of your waste, always ask for a copy of the company’s waste carrier registration certificate and ask where the waste is being taken.
“Prosecutions like these protect our environment and create cleaner and safer places for our communities. These are key priorities of the Liberal Democrat/ Labour partnership.”
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 flytipping 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
