A TROWBRIDGE plumber has been fined more than £1,000 after rubbish from a job he was on was found illegally dumped in Upavon.

Ben Rooney of Moyle Park, Hilperton pleaded guilty at Swindon Magistrates Court on November 23 to transporting controlled waste without a waste carriers’ licence.

Wiltshire Times: Illegally dumped waste Photo courtesy of Wiltshire Council

He has been fined £1,184 after waste from a property he worked on was illegally dumped in two separate locations on Widdington Lane, Upavon.

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Rooney was a self-employed plumber working on at a property in Corsham when he was approached by two men in a transit tipper looking for scrap metal.

He stated that he gave them his commercial waste and scrap metal without checking if they were properly licenced and failed to obtain waste transfer notes from the unknown persons.

“He was unable to provide Wiltshire Council with any information that could have identified the people who took the waste away and allegedly dumped it,” a spokesman for the council said.

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“A further investigation into Mr Rooney showed that he transported waste without an appropriate waste carriers’ licence.”

Cabinet member for transport and waste, Dr Mark McClelland said: “Business waste must be safely, legally, and responsibly disposed of, and anyone employing someone else to take their waste away is legally responsible for checking that they are fully licensed by the Environment Agency – and they must obtain and retain waste transfer notes if they are a business.

Wiltshire Times: Illegally dumped waste Photo courtesy of Wiltshire Council

“The Environmental Protection Act 1990 imposes a duty of care on tradespeople to ensure that any waste they produce does not harm the environment and is disposed of lawfully at a commercial waste tip.

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“I hope this case sends a clear message to all business not to cut corners when it comes to correctly disposing of your commercial waste, or you could end up with a large fine and a criminal record.”