Householders are being reminded to dispose of their waste responsibly after a woman was prosecuted for fly-tipping.

Eastern Daily Press: Waveney and Suffolk Coastal District Councils have reminded householders to dispose of waste responsibly. Picture: James BassWaveney and Suffolk Coastal District Councils have reminded householders to dispose of waste responsibly. Picture: James Bass (Image: Archant Norfolk © 2015)

The notice to East Suffolk residents comes after Donna Last of Riverside Road, Ipswich, appeared at Ipswich Magistrates Court on February 20 where she pleaded guilty to failing to fulfil her duty of care contrary to the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and was ordered to pay £830.

The case had been brought to court by Suffolk Coastal District Council after several sacks of household waste were found fly-tipped last August at Monument Farm Lane in Foxhall. After an investigation, the waste was found to contain correspondence linked to Ms Last's previous address.

When interviewed by council officers, she stated that she was approached by unknown persons offering to remove waste metal from her property, before asking them to take away her rubbish for a small payment.

Ms Last admitted failing to ask what would happen to the waste, failing to take any basic details of the person's identity and failing to check that the person was an authorised waste carrier.

Waveney and Suffolk Coastal District Councils are now reminding East Suffolk residents of their legal responsibilities to ensure their waste is not fly-tipped.

In a joint statement, Suffolk Coastal's cabinet member for the green environment, Carol Poulter, and Waveney's cabinet member for operational partnerships, Graham Catchpole, said: 'This case shows the serious consequences of failing to carry out basic legally-required checks before allowing someone to take rubbish away from your home.

'We have no hesitation in taking action against anyone found responsible for despoiling our environment, as this case clearly shows.

'Anyone arranging for waste to be taken away by anyone other than Suffolk Coastal Norse or Waveney Norse must check their waste carrier registration.'

Residents are asked to remember the SCRAP code - suspect, check, refuse, ask, paperwork - before allowing anyone to remove waste on their behalf.

Fly-tipping can be reported in confidence via the East Suffolk website, by emailing environment@eastsuffolk.gov.uk, and by calling Suffolk Coastal on 01394 383789 or Waveney on 01502 562111.