Two Llanelli women have found themselves in court after dumping waste in people’s back lanes, and ignoring the advice of Carmarthenshire County Council enforcement officers who were following up on complaints from the women’s neighbours.
Both women were found to have dumped blue recycling bags, which contained dirty nappies, glass, and rotting food, in the lane behind their homes.
Sharon Tea, of Ropewalk Road, had also dumped a broken chest freezer in her lane, and was taken to court after failing to heed an environmental notice served on her and failing to pay a subsequent fixed penalty notice after being caught committing a similar offence again a few months later.
She was found guilty by Llanelli magistrates and given a £220 fine as well as costs of £299 and a £37 victim surcharge.
Marie Maclean, of Elizabeth Street, had dumped a bed base and mattress behind her home as well as a large quantity of contaminated blue bags. She too was served an environmental notice, and a fixed penalty notice after offending again which she refused to pay.
Her case was also referred to court where she entered a guilty plea, fined £146, with costs of £299 and a £32 victim surcharge.
Cllr Philip Hughes, Executive Board Member for enforcement, said: “Both women could have avoided these hefty fines had they just taken more care and consideration.
“Blue bags are for recyclable paper, cardboard, plastic and tin – they are not for dirty nappies, rotting food and glass. Dirty nappies go in black bags, waste food goes in the green bin, and glass goes to a bottle bank.
“And instead of dumping a freezer and a bed behind their homes for all their neighbours to see, they could have booked a bulky waste collection which would have cost only £25 or taken it free of charge to one of our recycling centres.
“This really is a matter of respect for your neighbours – waste that’s put out wrongly is unsightly and can attract vermin.”
