Paisley convenience shop caught fly-tipping seven times in two months fined

A Paisley business caught fly-tipping seven times in two months has been fined thousands.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) said cardboard, plastic bread crates, black bin bags and packaging were illegally dumped at Spiersbridge Business Park between May 25 and June 25, 2024.

CCTV footage showed the same vehicle arriving at the site on seven separate occasions, and each time controlled waste was illegally deposited with “no attempt to dispose of it properly”.

The initial investigation was undertaken by East Renfrewshire Council’s Environmental Health Officers, who attended the location after each case of fly-tipping.

Sharing information with SEPA, it was determined that the waste came from a convenience shop operated by CRAA Ltd based in Linwood.

The firm was hit with a £2,642 civil penalty and will also be required to pay SEPA costs of £796.60

George Hope, unit manager in SEPA’s Enforcement Support team, said: “Fly-tipping is not just lazy – it’s illegal.

“It can cause serious harm to our environment, wildlife and communities and places an unnecessary burden on landowners, councils and taxpayers – diverting money and resources that could be better used elsewhere, to clear it up.

“This case demonstrates that by working more closely with local authorities, like East Renfrewshire 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. If you dump waste illegally, expect to pay the price.”

Councillor Danny Devlin, convener for environment and housing, added: “Fly-tipping is completely unacceptable and has a negative impact on our communities, the environment and resources, so it’s reassuring to see that the Council have worked in partnership with SEPA to issue a civil penalty to this business, who acted incredibly irresponsibly on multiple occasions.

“We’re determined to keep working to stamp out fly-tipping across East Renfrewshire and maintain our area.

“The council will do everything possible to prosecute offenders in East Renfrewshire, and I’d encourage residents who witness this illegal dumping to always report it.”