A roofer from Yelverton has been ordered to pay more than £8,000 in fines and costs by Torquay Magistrates after sixty bags of asbestos roof tiles and other materials were found dumped at a roadside in Roborough.
Roger Edward Bromley, 42, of Abbey Meadows, Crapstone, pleaded guilty (Friday 16th December) to three offences relating to his transporting and disposing of waste, including failing to register as a waste carrier with the Environment Agency.
The court heard that Bromley, who trades under the name of B and C Roofing, had carried out roofing repairs at a property in Lower Street, Dartmouth. He bagged up the asbestos roof tiles and transported them in his van to a lockup in Plymouth. He then paid another man to dispose of the waste.
His offences were related to his failure to confirm that the person taking the asbestos tiles was properly certified as a waste carrier, and this in turn enabled the fly-tipping to take place. Mr Bromley had not fly-tipped the material himself, but in failing to fulfil his duty of care he had enabled the third party to do so.
Additionally, Mr Bromley was also convicted of not being a registered waste carrier himself. It was made clear to the Court that the third party who had carried out the fly-tipping had let Mr Bromley down very badly and caused Mr Bromley to be brought before the Court.
Officers from South Hams District Council were alerted to the fly-tip in Bickleigh Down Road, Roborough in early March this year. They found sixty bags of tiles and other waste left at the roadside.
Bromley was fined £2,250 for each of the three offences, ordered to pay £711 investigation and legal costs, together with £552 compensation towards the Councils’ clear up costs, and a victim surcharge of £15. The total amount in fines and costs was £8,028.
Speaking after the hearing, Cllr Jonathan Hawkins, South Hams District Council’s Executive Member for the Environment, said: “We are very pleased with the result of which should send out the message loud and clear that fly-tipping will not be tolerated in the South Hams countryside.
“The vast majority of builders and roofing contractors operate legally. However there are those traders who are prepared to operate outside of the regulations and dispose of their waste unlawfully. This Council has no hesitation in prosecuting these offenders who are prepared to put financial gain before the environment.”
Anyone with information about suspected unlawful waste activities impacting on the South Hams can contact the Council’s enforcement team in confidence on a 24hr hotline on 01803 861262, or the Council’s customer services team on 01803 861234, or by e-mail at customer.services@southhams.gov.uk.
