Man fined £350 for illegally carrying scrap metal

A MAN has been fined £350 and ordered to pay £110 court costs for illegally carrying scrap metal in Carmarthenshire.

Mathew George Jones, aged 27, of Sageston Grange, Sageston, Pembrokeshire, was convicted in absence for an offence contrary to Section 1 of the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 at Ammanford Magistrates Court.

The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council.

The court heard that Jones was driving a HGV carrying two scrapped vehicles and was stopped by police on the A48 near Nantycaws, Carmarthen.

He told police he was the owner of the HGV and when questioned about the ownership of the scrap vehicles on the back of the lorry, he first maintained that they were his, but after further questioning admitted that they were old vehicles.

When the officer asked to see Jones’s waste carriers licence, he said that he was in the process of applying for it. When asked if he had a licence, he said no.

The information was passed on to Carmarthenshire County Council’s environmental enforcement section and a letter was sent along with a notice which required him to present his waste carriers licence. However, Jones failed to respond to any correspondence.

A search was also carried out on the Environment Agency’s public register of waste carriers but Jones was not on it.

Jones was prosecuted through the magistrates court as a result.

The council now hopes this case will act as a warning to others and help prevent the illegal transport of waste which can result in fly-tipping.

Executive Board Member for the Environment Cllr Philip Hughes said: “All businesses that carry waste, including scrap merchants, skip companies, builders and gardeners, must have a waste carriers licence. They must also make sure they have the correct paperwork for all the waste they carry and only use licensed waste sites to dispose of their rubbish.

“Hopefully this fine will help to get the message across that anyone caught illegally transporting waste will be prosecuted through the courts where the maximum penalty is £5,000.”

For further information on how to register as a waste carrier contact the Environment Agency on 08708 506506 or visit www.environment-agency.gov.uk