Test Valley residents reminded that garden waste should be disposed of correctly
Test Valley residents are being reminded that garden waste needs to be disposed of correctly, or they could face a fine.
Dumping garden waste is a form of fly-tipping and anybody caught doing so could find themselves in court.
In April this year, a Test Valley Borough Council officer found multiple piles of waste including tree, shrub and grass cuttings left in a layby on a single-track road near Andover.
One of our hidden cameras recorded a car parking up and a man getting out to remove three bags of garden waste from the boot and deposit it in the layby.
Paul Johnson, 68, from St Mary Bourne, appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty and was given a fine of £253 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £101 and costs of £885.77.
Garden waste cannot be put in the household waste or recycling bins. However, there are a few ways to dispose of it correctly, for example, sign up to the council’s garden waste collection service; or take it to your nearest Household Waste Recycling Centre.
For more information visit www.testvalley.gov.uk/gardenwaste.
Portfolio holder for Recycling and Environmental Services, Cllr David Drew, said: “Dumping your garden waste in woodlands, bushes or on grass verges may not feel like fly-tipping, but it is. Doing so costs money and valuable time to clear up. There is also a risk that the waste will transfer non-native bacteria, diseased matter or an invasive species, which is why we take these incidents seriously.
“It’s very easy to dispose of your garden waste legally. Please do so and keep yourself out of court. It’ll keep our borough beautiful by doing these simple things.”