Hailsham woman fined for her part in fly-tipping asbestos on Pevensey Marshes
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Wealden District Council (WDC) said Phoebe Ripley, 33, pleaded guilty at Hastings Magistrates’ Court on September 20, 2022, following a prosecution brought by the council.
WDC added: “In April 2021 around 16 black sacks filled with broken asbestos roofing sheets, tarpaulin and debris were dumped along the verge of New Bridge Road, Rickney, near Pevensey.
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Hide Ad“The council’s street scene enforcement team traced the waste back to a resident based in Lancing, who had hired Miss Ripley and another person to renovate a garage roof. Despite assuring the resident that the asbestos would be disposed of in the correct manner, the waste was subsequently found dumped across the Pevensey Marshes.”
The council said during the investigation the Lancing resident showed them evidence of duty of care, a legal requirement for waste producers, so avoided any action being taken against them.
The spokesperson added: “However, Miss Ripley was unable to provide any documentation for disposal of the waste nor did she offer the street scene officers or the court an explanation as to what had happened to the asbestos or how it came to be fly-tipped.”
At court Miss Ripley was fined a total of £1,000 for the waste disposal offence, ordered to pay £100 victim surcharge and must pay £1,005.66 towards the council’s costs, according to WDC.
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Hide AdRay Cade, Wealden’s portfolio holder for waste, said: “I’d like to advise anyone who produces or handles waste that they have a legal duty to ensure that it’s disposed of correctly to prevent our beautiful countryside being tainted.