A builder from Brighton has been fined £600 after dumping commercial waste in breach of the law.
Brighton and Hove City Council said: “A Brighton man has been ordered to pay £760 for dumping sheets of plasterboard in an on-street resident’s bin.
“Paul Godding, of Mafeking Road, Brighton, was caught after a member of the public spotted him getting rid of the commercial waste just minutes from his home.
“When our environmental enforcement officers contacted Mr Godding, who runs his business from home, he also failed to produce a ‘waste transfer note’, which is needed by anyone disposing of business waste from construction, demolition, industry or agriculture.
“Mr Godding, 49, appeared before Brighton magistrates on Friday 2 July.
“He was prosecuted for two different offences – disposing of commercial waste illegally under section 33A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and failure to produce a waste transfer note under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
“He pleaded guilty to both offences and was fined £600 with £100 costs and a victim surcharge of £60.”
Councillor Jamie Lloyd, deputy chair of the council’s Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee, said: “It’s not only dangerous but also against the law to dispose of commercial waste in resident’s bins.
“We have two recycling sites where plasterboard can be taken, so there’s no excuse for dumping it in a street bin.
“This sort of offence happens too often, so we are grateful to the resident who brought this to our attention.
“This case shows we will take the firmest action possible again people who break laws which damage the environment.”
Hardly a deterrent size of fine, is it.
Why was he fined only £600? A friend of mine was fined £400 by the council when an envelope fell out of the rubbish he was putting in communal bin. He was not aware this had happened until he recieved the notice from the council that his name and address were found on it, and he was fined. An appeal to the council made no difference.