People in Hull are being urged to dispose of their litter responsibly to avoid prosecution.
The call comes after nine people were recently convicted for littering after failing to pay fixed penalty notices.
In total the individuals received criminal records and were ordered to pay £3,538 in fines and costs – an average of £393 per person.
The offences took place on:
- Newland Avenue
- Mount Pleasant
- Hessle Road
- Boothferry Road
- Fern Close
- Holderness Road
- Walker Street
Fixed penalties for the above littering offences were issued by the council’s enforcement contractor, LA Support Limited.
Adam McArthur, head of development, performance, and open spaces at Hull City Council said: “The vast majority of residents in Hull take great care of our city and take their litter home or dispose of it responsibly. However, unfortunately, there are still some individuals who think it’s acceptable to throw down litter and make the city look unsightly.
“As a council we want to make it absolutely clear that littering will not be tolerated. We urge residents to always dispose of waste responsibly and in accordance with the law, to avoid being fined or prosecuted.”
Keep Britain Tidy reports that more than two million pieces of litter are dropped in the UK every day, with an estimated street cleaning cost of more than £1 billion a year.
The standard practice to dispose of litter is to use on-street litter bins provided by the council, or to take waste home to be disposed of responsibly.
Under section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, it is an offence to throw down, drop or otherwise deposit and leave litter.
Under this section, offences can result in a £150 fixed penalty, reduced to £120 if paid within the early payment period, or prosecution and a maximum fine of £2,500.
Anyone issued with a fixed penalty notice for littering should pay it to avoid a fine and criminal record. To pay a fixed penalty notice, contact LA Support Limited by calling 0800 781 6229 or pay online here.
For more information, visit Littering | Hull.
