AM WELCOMES NEW FLY-TIPPING PENALTIES

Local Assembly Member Mick Antoniw wants residents to be aware that people who give their waste to someone “in good faith” who then fly-tips – could face a fixed penalty notice of £300.

New rules have been agreed by Assembly Members making it easier for councils to take action against householders who hand their waste to people not authorised to handle it.

Councils saw more than 35,000 incidents of fly-tipping in just one year. They cost Welsh taxpayers £2m in clean-up costs in 2017-18.  Currently, residents can be issued with a fixed penalty notice if they fly-tip their waste themselves.

A Welsh Government report suggests that 60% of fly-tipping incidents originate from domestic households – often the result of the householder failing to check where the waste will end up allowing an unauthorised person to take it away.

Mick Antoniw said:

“Last year I held a number of consultation events on the issue of fly-tipping and it is clear that overwhelmingly, local residents want to see strong penalties for people who fly-tip.   That’s why I supported and welcome this decision.

I want residents to be fully aware of these changes.  Fly–tipping is a scourge in many communities.  We all need to take more responsibility for how our waste is disposed of and this means asking questions of those that offer to take it away.”

The regulations have set the fixed penalty at £300 and enforcing authorities have the discretion to offer the option of an early payment of £150. Councils can retain the receipts to help contribute towards the costs of dealing with waste crime. They will still have the option to exercise their existing criminal prosecution powers for offences they believe require a fixed penalty.”