Man caught fly-tipping bags of waste and kitchen equipment fined

A man has been fined over £3,000 after he was seen fly-tipping bags of waste in a lane.

Glasgow City Council initially contacted the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) following a report of fly-tipping on Kingarth Lane in Govanhill in July 2023.

Two men were spotted with a white Ford transit van – one was at the open rear doors while the other appeared to be acting as a lookout.

When they became aware of a witness, they closed the doors and drove off. Once the vehicle left, the witness saw black bags piled up where it had been stopped.

Waste items included plastic bags and receipts from a local business, vegetable ghee containers, glass, light fittings, multiple bags containing clothes, plastic containers/storage boxes, a wooden drawer, cardboard, kitchen cooking equipment and blue kitchen roll.

SEPA’s investigations confirmed that the bags contained controlled waste and that no authorisation was in place to allow waste to be deposited in this location.

Habib Safi was identified as the owner and registered keeper of the van. He was invited to an interview under caution by SEPA officers in February 2024 but did not respond.

Safi was issued with a £3,277 civil penalty by Scotland’s environment regulator for fly-tipping. He was also required to pay SEPA costs of £983.10.

George Hope, unit manager in SEPA’s enforcement support team, said: “Fly-tipping is not just an eyesore: it can cause serious harm to our environment, wildlife and communities. It places an unnecessary burden on landowners, councils and taxpayers – diverting money and resources that could be better used elsewhere, to clear it up.

“SEPA is committed to tackling this issue. As outlined in the Scottish Government’s National Litter and Fly-tipping Strategy, collaboration across agencies is essential. By working more closely with local authorities, like Glasgow City Council, we can strengthen enforcement efforts, hold offenders accountable and better protect Scotland’s environment and communities from the selfish and criminal behaviour of those who fly tip waste.

“SEPA’s ability to issue VMPs is a significant addition to enforcement against fly-tippers in Scotland. We will work with our local authority partners, who are the first port of call for fly-tipping reports, to identify suspects and exercise our power to issue VMPs. We hope the penalty imposed on Mr Habib, plus payment of SEPA’s costs, demonstrates our commitment to taking enforcement action – and acts as a deterrent to others.”

Councillor Ruairi Kelly, city convener for housing and development added: “We are very pleased to have worked with SEPA to ensure this unscrupulous fly-tipper faces the consequences of his actions.

“This part of Govanhill has been repeatedly targeted by fly-tippers, but this case shows where there is evidence of illegal dumping, enforcement action will be taken against those responsible.

“This shows the benefits of working with SEPA as they have different powers and the ability to serve higher penalties. We are very grateful for SEPA’s support on this matter but also for the response from local residents, who played a crucial role in identifying the person responsible.

“This civil penalty should serve as a warning that communities are fed-up of the environmental crimes committed by fly-tippers and that agencies will work together to bring them to account.”