A handyman has been fined almost £4,000 and has a criminal record after illegally dumping waste that customers trusted him to dispose of responsibly.
The man, a Cambridge resident operating as MSH Handyman, was taken to court following an investigation into several reports of fly tipped waste in the Eversden recreation ground car park.
Environmental Crime officers from South Cambridgeshire District Council attended the location photographing the waste and seizing evidence. The officers then traced several homeowners who gave statements saying they had paid MSH Handyman to take their waste away.
When interviewed, the culprit denied any wrongdoing. However, during the interview, it became clear he did not comply with his duty of care towards the waste, had no waste transfer documentation and did not have a waste carrier’s licence - despite operating as a business.
He pleaded guilty in a hearing at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court and was sentenced to a £2,000 fine, a victim surcharge of £800 and full costs of £1,096.33.
Cllr Natalie Warren Green, Lead Cabinet Member for the Environment for South Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “Fly-tipping is a blight on our beautiful landscape, damaging our environment and costing taxpayers to clean up. To help prevent your waste from ending up illegally dumped, it is essential that anyone you hire to remove waste is properly licensed. You can check their credentials on the Environment Agency’s public register. Always ensure you receive written documentation from them, detailing what the waste is and where it will be safely disposed of. Equally, all householders have a legal duty of care to secure their waste until it is collected by an authorised carrier. Failing to do so is a criminal offence. We all have a role to play in protecting our communities from the scourge of fly-tipping.”
A waste carrier licence is required under the Control of Pollution Act which states that anyone who transports waste as part of a business or trade must be registered as a waste carrier with the relevant environmental agency. In England, this is the Environment Agency. Failing to register is an offence punishable by fines and potential legal action.
Under the Environmental Protection Act, waste transfer documentation must be obtained when waste is transferred from one person / business to another and then kept for a minimum of two years. Failing to produce this to an authorised authority is a criminal offence.
- Check if a business is an authorised waste carrier using this link.