A MAN has been fined £1,000 after putting his recycling in the wrong sack.

James Rogers put 40kg of shredded business papers into purple recycling sacks meant for household recycling. He then left them outside someone else’s house after binmen refused to take them from his Hampton Bishop home.

Mike Jones, prosecuting, told Hereford Magistrates Court that Rogers, aged 43, dumped the purple sacks on New Year’s Eve last year.

He said he put them in his van with the intention of taking them to a supermarket recycling site but noticed plastic sacks outside a property on Hampton Park Road and dropped them there.

A neighbour noticed him and contacted Herefordshire Council.

Mr Jones said the paper should have been put in orange sacks, which cost £57 for 50 bags, or disposed of via a registered carrier.

Rogers admitted two offences under the Environmental Protection Act. The first was the deposit of waste contrary to Section 33 of the Act, while the second punished him for the “handling, control or transfer of controlled waste without taking reasonable measures” contrary to section 34 of the Act.

As well as the fine, Rogers was ordered to pay Hereordshire Council £470 costs.

Speaking after sentencing Shane Hancock, acting regulatory services manager with the council, said he was pleased with the result.

“I hope that it will serve as a deterrent to anyone thinking about disposing of their waste, business or household, unlawfully.

“The community protection team will investigate all incidents that come to its notice with a view to robust action being taken against offenders.”