Home / Environment / Resident Fined Nearly £2,000 for Illegal Dumping and Burning Waste Near Recycling Center
Resident Fined Nearly £2,000 for Illegal Dumping and Burning Waste Near Recycling Center
8 Oct
Summary
- Resident William Smith, 61, illegally dumped and burned rubbish near a waste recycling center
- Smith was caught on CCTV and fined £1,889.60 for the offense
- Fly-tipping incidents in Barnsley have risen by nearly 1,500 in just two years
On December 16, 2024, a 61-year-old Barnsley resident named William Smith was caught on CCTV cameras illegally dumping and burning rubbish just meters away from a local waste recycling center. Smith, who lived on the same road as the recycling facility, was arrested and later pleaded guilty to the offense on September 25, 2025.
As a result of his actions, Smith was fined £1,889.60 as part of the local council's zero-tolerance approach to fly-tipping in the area. Councilor Wendy Cain, the cabinet spokesperson for public health and communities, welcomed the significant fine, stating that the council will continue to prosecute anyone responsible for "blighting our borough" and show that such environmental offenses will not be tolerated.
The Smithies Lane Household Recycling Center, located less than a mile from where Smith committed the crime, is open daily from 9am to 4pm during the winter months and until 5pm in the summer. Despite the convenient access to proper waste disposal, fly-tipping incidents in Barnsley have risen by nearly 1,500 in just the last two years, costing the local council nearly £500,000 to clear the illegal waste.
