A deal made on Facebook to get rid of rubbish has cost a resident £290 and a 12-month conditional discharge after the rubbish was found fly tipped in a quiet lane outside West Huntspill.
At Taunton Magistrates Court, Kimberley Tierney, 23, of Weston-Super-Mare, was fined £95 with a £15 victim surcharge and £180 costs after her waste was fly-tipped in Sloway Lane, Stretcholt by people who she’d paid to take the waste away.
Tierney paid someone who advertised on the social media site to take away the household waste that was piling up in her garden waste, but she was soon traced after the rubbish was discovered dumped in the leafy back road.
Tierney, of Winscombe Road, Weston, admitted not taking reasonable measures to ensure transfer of household waste to an authorised person.
The prosecution was brought as part of renewed efforts by local councils to drive down dumping and deter, catch and convict fly-tippers.
Their efforts include better co-operation with police, new surveillance equipment, warning signs, further training for enforcement officers and monitoring social media.
A Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP) spokesman said: “Everyone has a duty of care to ensure their waste is properly taken by licensed traders to a place that can legally receive the materials.”
“Simple steps by residents can cut off the supply of material being fly-tipped and avoid them ending up on a duty-of-care charge in court.”
“Never pay cash for waste removal; get a receipt with full contact information, and note the details of vehicles and people taking away your waste.”
“Ask any trader taking waste – from builders to man-and-van operators – for their waste carrier licence and where the refuse will go.”
Solicitor Nigel Osborne prosecuted the case for Sedgemoor District Council.
