Woman who hired 'man with van' on Facebook fined £2k

Council bosses said fly-tipping was " a blot on the landscape"

A woman who used a "man with a van" she found on social media to get rid of rubbish has been ordered to pay £1,900.

Simone Jackson, 38, of Broad Oak Lane, Bury, found someone on Facebook to remove waste which was later found dumped in nearby Lowes Road.

The council later identified her as the source of the waste and gave her a fixed penalty notice of £400. However, the authority said she did not pay it.

She was found guilty at Manchester Magistrates' Court of failing to comply with the householder's duty of care in the disposal of household waste and fined £500 and ordered to pay a £250 victim surcharge and £1,150 costs, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Councillor Alan Quinn, Bury's cabinet member for the environment, climate change and operations, said: "People are sick to death of fly-tipping.

"It's a blot on the landscape, and costs council tax payers money to have it cleared up."

'Blot on landscape'

Since June 2021, the council has issued 224 fixed penalties for fly-tipping and littering and had 18 successful prosecutions for environmental crime.

Quinn added that there had been a noticeable increase in advertisements on social media for unlicensed waste removal services.

"Every individual and business has a duty of care to ensure they correctly dispose of their waste," he said.

"Many unsuspecting householders are being caught out by these rogue traders, drawn by their attractive low rates compared to legitimate operators.

"I urge residents to check their credentials before using them and remind the public that officers now have the power to issue £400 fixed penalty notices on householders who fail in their duty of care."

The council said residents should ask any waste carrier for their address and telephone number, their waste carrier licence, and ask where their waste will be taken to.

He said an instant and free check of waste carrier's credentials can be made via the Environment Agency.

There are 21 recycling centres in Greater Manchester where residents can take their waste for disposal free of charge.