Resident and landlord hit with large fines for waste offences

A resident and a landlord have been issued with large fines for waste offences in Blackburn.

Christopher Lynch, 34, of Gretna Walk, Blackburn, was caught on CCTV dumping waste from his car on Paterson Street, Blackburn in October last year.  He pleaded guilty to the charges at Blackburn Magistrates Court on 6 July and was fined £433, plus £200 costs and £43 victim surcharge.

Landlord Zubeda Haq, 64, of Preston New Road, Blackburn was found guilty of 2 offences at Blackburn Magistrates Court on 6 July.  The first offence related to failure to clear up a build up of waste at a tenant’s property on Exeter Street, Blackburn.  She pleaded not guilty to the charge, but was found guilty at trial and ordered to pay a £660 fine, £1100 costs and a £66 victim surcharge.

Zubeda Haq was also found guilty of dumping waste from a property at Hollin Bridge Street, Blackburn onto nearby land.  She pleaded guilty to the charge and was ordered to pay £360 court costs and £177 compensation.

Councillor Jim Smith, Executive Member for Environment at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, said:

Whether you’re a resident or a landlord with responsibility for a property, these prosecutions show that the Council will not tolerate waste offences in Blackburn with Darwen.  These individuals now face large financial penalties as a result of their failure to dispose of waste correctly.  There are 2 Household Waste Recycling Centres in Blackburn with Darwen which operate over a 7 day period.  There’s no excuse for dumping waste and making a mess of our communities.  Most people take pride in their communities and look after the area where they live, but those people who don’t need to show more consideration for their neighbours.

I would like to ask residents to remain vigilant about fly tipping and to report any incidents to our Environmental Waste Crime team for investigation at www.blackburn.gov.uk/fly-tipping.  If you’re struggling to dispose of your waste and need help and advice please contact us.

Last year, the Environmental Waste Crime team received payment for 66 fixed penalty notices and handled 49 prosecutions, despite a sustained period of suspension to court services due to the pandemic.

The Council is also committed to educating and informing residents on the correct ways to responsibly dispose of waste, and the Environment and Waste team have employed an Education Officer to lead on this task.

Visit www.recyclebwd.org to find lots of helpful information, including what items go in what bin, tips and tricks when it comes to household rubbish and translated video guides. The website can also be accessed in many different languages.

If you’re struggling to remove bulky waste yourself, then book via our waste collection service – please DO NOT fly-tip or leave your items in back alleys.