Woman fined for putting nappies and grass in recycling bags

A LLANELLI woman has been fined £150 plus costs of almost £200 for putting dirty nappies and grass in blue bags.
Deborah Gail Myhill, aged 49, of Cambrian Street, failed was convicted in absence to an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 at Carmarthen Magistrates Court.

The court heard that council environmental enforcement officers visited the rear of Cambrian Street on Wednesday, June 24 following a complaint that bags had been left on a  grassed area.

The bags contained nappies, green waste, as well as a letter and a cardboard box with an address on it.
On speaking to Myhill, she admitted putting green waste and nappies in the blue bags, but that they had been put out on the same day.

The officers explained that the bags did not contain the correct recycling items and as a result would not have been collected.
Myhill had already been served a notice under Section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and as this was a breach of the notice, the officers explained they would be issuing a fixed penalty notice for £100. However, Myhill failed to pay it.

The court was told that Myhill also had two previous convictions for the breach of a notice issued under Section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
She was fined £150 by magistrates and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £179.70 plus a £20 victim surcharge.
Speaking after the case, Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “This case was a blatant and repeated disregard for the council’s recycling scheme.

“People must put the correct items in their blue bags, otherwise they will be stickered by the collections crews and left behind for the householder to sort. Wrong items, such as nappies and grass, can contaminate the whole bag.”
For information on what goes in the blue bag visit www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/recycling