Waste Carrier Hit with £4,212 Court Bill for Illegal Dumping in Bilston
A waste carrier has been ordered to pay over £4,000 after household rubbish, mattresses, and wood from a Telford rental property were found dumped in Bilston. Jordan Delaney, 27, of Dimmocks Avenue, Coseley, was prosecuted by City of Wolverhampton Council for environmental offences.
Details of the Illegal Dumping Incident
In February last year, environmental crime officers discovered waste strewn on land in Meldon Drive, Bilston. Packaging within the abandoned items was addressed to a property approximately 20 miles away in Telford. The council traced the waste back to a recently vacated rental property, where the tenant had left items for the landlord to dispose of.
The landlord informed officers he had used a company advertised on social media called Jordan Delaney Removals, paying £1,200 for the clearance. He provided photographs of the waste being removed and messages exchanged with Delaney.
Court Proceedings and Admission of Guilt
Delaney was interviewed by council officers on May 15. He admitted recognising the waste but not the dumping location in Bilston. He stated he had been paid £1,200 by the Telford property owner and then used an associate to carry out the removal, paying them £180 per load for two or three loads.
Crucially, Delaney refused to name the associate or provide vehicle registration details. He also admitted conducting no checks to see where the waste would be taken or whether the third party had a Waste Carriers Licence.
At Dudley Magistrates' Court on March 11, Delaney pleaded guilty to four charges: two offences under the Environmental Protection Act, one under the Environment Act, and one under the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act. He was fined £400, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £160, and costs of £3,652.32, totalling £4,212.32.
Council Warning and Public Advice
Following the hearing, Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, Wolverhampton's cabinet member for resident services, commented: "This was quite an involved case for our environmental crime team and shows the importance of being aware of potential pitfalls when dealing with waste carriers. In this case, the offender admitted that he carried out no checks on the third party involved. He accepted that he didn’t know where the waste he had been paid to take had actually ended up."
Councillor Gakhal added: "We continue to work hard to prevent fly-tipping and other environmental crimes. Suspected offenders should be aware that they are being watched and we are doing all we can to track them down."
The council urges residents to take precautions when hiring waste carriers:
- Always ask for a waste carrier registration number and verify it on the Environment Agency’s public register or by calling 0300 065 3000.
- Wolverhampton residents can view the complete register online by selecting the ‘upper tier’ option and entering ‘Wolverhampton’ into the address box.
- Ensure you receive a receipt from your chosen waste carrier.
- Report fly-tipping incidents or provide information by calling 01902 552 700.
This case highlights the legal responsibilities of waste carriers and the consequences of failing to properly manage waste disposal, serving as a stark reminder to both businesses and the public to adhere to environmental regulations.
