Hemel Hempstead woman fined after her household rubbish was fly-tipped

A woman from Hemel Hempstead has been fined after her household rubbish was fly-tipped in Flamstead earlier this year.

On Wednesday, September 29, Dacorum Borough Council, successfully prosecuted Kirsty Jenkins, under S.34(2A) Environmental Protection Act 1990 for a fly-tipping offence which occurred on or before 23 March 2021 in Puddephats Lane, Flamstead.

A council’s Environmental Enforcement Officer inspected the waste and found it contained documents and envelopes concerning the defendant’s address.

The defendant was issued with a £300 Fixed Penalty Notice by the council for failing to demonstrate her duty of care responsibilities when disposing of the waste but this was not paid.

The council was then obliged to seek prosecution for the offence and Ms Jenkins subsequently pleaded guilty at St Albans Magistrates Court.

Ms Jenkins stated that she had paid someone else to dispose of the waste but had not intended for this to be disposed of unlawfully and did not want to name and involve the individual who had taken the waste.

The court sentenced Ms Jenkins to a fine of £200, a victim surcharge of £44 and costs of £566.48.

Cllr Julie Banks, Dacorum Borough Council'sportfolio holder for community and regulatory services, said: “We need people to understand that their waste is their responsibility.

"Anyone offering to take it away has to be registered to carry waste, or it could end up fly-tipped, and you could be prosecuted for failing to take reasonable steps to prevent it.

"If you see fly-tipping, please report it via our online reporting tool by visiting www.dacorum.gov.uk/flytipping.”

A multi-agency taskforce including the borough, district and county councils as well as Hertfordshire Constabulary, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Herts Fire and Rescue, the Environment Agency and the National Farmers' Union.

These organisations have come together to improve how Hertfordshire responds to fly-tipping. The HFTG is delivering improvements in enforcement capability across the county, as well as rolling out new technology to assist in identifying and prosecuting fly-tippers.

The HFTG is also behind the award-winning #SCRAPflytipping campaign, which is used across Hertfordshire to help educate residents, and has been provided to other local authorities across the UK (free of charge) to help promote a consistent message.