Council takes action after fly-tipped waste found in Rhyl alleyway

Denbighshire County Council has issued a £300 Fixed Penalty Notice to a Rhyl resident after an investigation found they had failed to comply with their legal Household Waste Duty of Care.

The enforcement action follows the discovery of a quantity of household waste that had been illegally dumped in an alleyway between Bath Street and Paradise Street, Rhyl. This action taken forms part of the Council's continued efforts to tackle fly-tipping and improve the local environment.

Following the discovery, officers from the Council's Environmental Crime and Behaviour Change Team examined the waste and recovered evidence identifying the person responsible for arranging its disposal.

Further investigations established that the resident had arranged for another individual to remove their household waste but had failed to take reasonable steps to ensure it was disposed of lawfully. The waste was subsequently fly-tipped in the alleyway.

Rather than pursuing prosecution through the courts, the Council issued a £300 Fixed Penalty Notice for breaching the Household Waste Duty of Care.

Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, householders have a legal responsibility to ensure their waste is only passed to an authorised person or a registered waste carrier. Anyone arranging for waste to be removed should always ask to see a valid Waste Carrier Registration and keep a record of who collected their waste. Failure to do so could result in enforcement action if the waste is later found to have been illegally dumped.

Jonathan Brittain-Hughes, Environmental Crime Manager for Denbighshire County Council, said: "Fly-tipping continues to have a significant impact on our communities, particularly in areas where repeated incidents affect residents, businesses and visitors. While many people believe their responsibility ends once they have paid someone to remove their waste, the law is clear that householders have a Duty of Care to ensure it is passed to an authorised waste carrier.

Our officers will continue to investigate fly-tipping incidents thoroughly and take appropriate action where offences are identified."

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: "We are committed to improving the environment across Denbighshire and tackling fly-tipping wherever it occurs. Enforcement is an important part of this work, but we also want to encourage residents to take a few simple steps before handing over their waste. By checking that anyone removing waste is properly registered, together we can help prevent fly-tipping and protect our local communities."

Residents can check whether an individual or business is legally registered to transport waste by using the Natural Resources Wales Waste Carrier Register before handing over their waste. Anyone who witnesses fly-tipping or wishes to report an incident is encouraged to contact Denbighshire County Council.