A man who collected rubbish from homes before fly-tipping the waste has been ordered to pay £2,450 following a Rotherham Council investigation.
Steven Paul Jackson, of Greenwood Crescent, Wickersley, appeared before Sheffield Magistrates' Court last month, where he pleaded guilty to environmental offences relating to waste collected by his business.
The prosecution followed an investigation by Rotherham Council after reports of fly-tipping on Carr Lane, Slade Hooton.
Council enforcement officers visited the site and discovered that waste that had been dumped just off the highway before being set on fire.
During their inspection, officers recovered evidence from the burnt waste, including documents linked to two addresses in Doncaster.
Further enquiries led officers to residents at both properties, who confirmed they had paid the same waste removal company, advertised on Facebook as "Jacko's Waste Removals", to collect rubbish from their homes.
Video evidence obtained by the Council showed the waste being loaded into a vehicle by a man later identified as Jackson.
Jackson pleaded guilty to two counts of section 34(1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and was found guilty of failing to take reasonable measures to ensure that waste collected from a residential property was managed lawfully.
The court fined Jackson £1,600, ordered him to pay £250 in costs and a £600 victim surcharge, bringing the total financial penalty to £2,450.
Cllr Sarah Allen, Rotherham Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, said: "Fly-tipping is a serious environmental crime that blights our countryside, damages the environment and costs taxpayers money to clear up.
"This case should serve as a reminder that anyone collecting waste has a legal responsibility to ensure it is handled and disposed of correctly. We will continue to investigate incidents thoroughly and take enforcement action where there is evidence of wrongdoing.
"Residents can also play their part by checking that anyone they pay to remove waste is properly registered and by asking for documentation showing where their waste will be taken."
Rotherham Council is urging householders to ensure that anyone removing waste on their behalf is a registered waste carrier and to retain receipts and transfer information wherever possible.
Anyone who witnesses fly-tipping or environmental crime can report it to Rotherham Council through its website or customer services team.
Visit the Council website to report fly-tipping here
