Company fined after rubbish is abandoned by Buckinghamshire road

Whilst the business did not fly-tip in the county one of its vehicles was emptied by the side of a road in Stokenchurch.

Complete Waste Management Ltd admitted to the offence of failing in their duty of care when transferring waste to a waste remover at High Wycombe Magistrates Court on 27 November.

High Wycombe Magistrates Court heard that on 14 September 2023, a mixture of household and building waste was found dumped at Ibstone Road in Stokenchurch.

Bucks Council has revealed that the area is regularly targeted by fly-tippers and is therefore regularly checked by the authority’s staff. It was a member of the council’s enforcement team who discovered the rubbish and found an address within it.

A further investigation revealed that Complete Waste Management Ltd was linked to the rubbish. The company confirmed it removed the waste from the property in London, but was unable to dispose of it, as its vehicle broke down. Complete Waste Management Ltd needed to offload the waste so that a recovery vehicle could move its car.

Complete Waste Management Ltd paid a company to remove the waste. However, the company has since admitted it did not carry out sufficient checks on the other business, which dumped the waste illegally. Complete Waste Management Ltd accepted it was liable for the illegal act.

Magistrates at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court fined Complete Waste Management Ltd £600 and ordered them to pay a contribution of £1546.71 towards the council’s clean up and investigation costs. A victim surcharge was also added of £240 - making a total to pay of £2,386.71.

Councillor Thomas Broom said: “Buckinghamshire Council has a firm position on fly-tipping - it is against the law, unacceptable, and a ‘zero tolerance’ approach will be taken against offenders.

“This offence was traced through evidence found amongst the waste which led back to a company that had not done the correct checks on the waste remover. Wherever possible, we will always seek to prosecute offences of fly-tipping even if it is for the producer of the waste rather than the person who dumped it. We would strongly advise anyone having waste removed to not pay by cash under any circumstances.”