AN unemployed Tilbury man has been issued with a six-month Community Order and ordered to pay £1,000 costs after he admitted fly tipping in Wickham Road, Chadwell St Mary.
Ashley Smith (20), of Feenan Highway, Tilbury, pleaded guilty by post to fly tipping (under the Environmental Protection Act 1990) at Basildon Magistrates Court on Monday March 21st. He must also attend a Community Assessment Unit for 36 hours.
The court heard in March 2010 Smith had been paid by a Grays resident to dispose of rubbish but after collecting it he dumped it illegally at the rear of Wickham Road.
Thurrock Council Community Protection Manager Jim Nicolson said: “Fly tipping is the scourge of our borough. It is unsightly, unhygienic and one of our residents’ biggest issues. We are delighted at this court result after much hard work from Thurrock’s Community Protection Team. And it sends out a clear message that we will pursue anyone who dumps rubbish in our borough.”
Reports from the public on fly tipping in Thurrock fell by nearly 30 per cent in 2010/11 compared with the previous year from 1,998 to 1,418. Joint operations between Thurrock Council and Essex Police are targeting people carrying waste to ensure they have the proper licenses to dispose of rubbish. Essex Police are also using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) to identify persistent offenders. Anyone carrying waste without a valid waste carriers license can be fined up to £50,000.
Householders are also reminded that if they pay an unlicensed carrier to take waste away they are committing an offence. They can be prosecuted for this as well as for a separate offence if rubbish found dumped is traced back to them.
But Mr Nicolson added: “These figures show people are getting the message that we will not be a soft touch on fly tippers but there is more to be done and we will continue to crack down on this filthy environmental crime.”
Fly tipping should be reported on 0800 581 281.
