Published Friday, 17th November 2017
A woman from Reigate faces a bill of over £2,500 after she left a bag of rubbish in a community recycling bin in Woodhatch.
Reigate & Banstead Borough Council issued Ms Hien Nguyen of Trehaven Parade, Reigate with an £80 fine after identifying her from her refuse which the council had found in a recycling bin.
“Dumping rubbish in a recycling container is fly-tipping and has a significant impact on the environment. It is important that members of the public take these fines seriously; when a fine is not paid we will always consider the courts as an option,” says Councillor Graham Knight, Reigate & Banstead’s Executive Member for Enforcement.
As Ms Nguyen did not pay the initial fine, the council took her to court where magistrates fined her £1,500, added costs of £916 and a victim surcharge of £150, making a total of £2,566. When the wrong materials are put in recycling containers, the council risks having the entire contents refused for recycling, meaning that it will be sent to landfill instead.