Sleepless nights for Rochdale resident following a fine for dumped mattresses

Tuesday, 18 October 2022 15:30

By David Murphy

Correspondence addressed to Mr Howarth was found amongst the waste on Crimble Lane

A pile of fly-tipped waste found in Crimble Lane in Heywood has landed a Rochdale resident with a fine.

Stephen Howarth, 38, of Daniel Fold, Rochdale, appeared at Tameside Magistrates’ Court on 13 October and pleaded guilty to one offence contrary to Section 34(2A) of the Environmental Protection Act (1990).

In October 2019, council enforcement officers found a significantly large amount of dumped waste in Crimble Lane, where documentation was found addressed to the defendant’s home.

Mr Howarth attended an interview under caution and admitted to paying £60 to an unnamed person to remove the waste, including mattresses and some bags of rubbish.

He further admitted to not undertaking any reasonable steps on the transfer of his waste to see if the hired waste carrier was licensed by the Environment Agency or obtained any receipt after paying in cash.

He was fined a total of £262 comprising of an £80 fine, plus costs of £150 and a victim surcharge of £32.

Councillor Liam O’Rourke, the council’s cabinet member for climate change and environment, said: “We cannot stress enough how important it is to do your checks when hiring someone to remove your waste.

“If waste found can be linked to you, our enforcement officers will be in contact. Please, do your checks, or better still, take your waste to one of the local household waste recycling centres or take advantage of a free bulky waste collection for larger items. Why pay out for an unlicensed carrier and then be hit with an unwanted fine.”

The council offers two free bulky waste collections of three items per household per year. Any additional items are charged at just £2.50 each.

Collections can be booked at rochdale.gov.uk/bulkywaste up to 3 weeks in advance.

Residents can also check details of a waste carrier's licence or report fly-tipping at rochdale.gov.uk/flytipping or by calling 0300 303 8884.

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