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| Fine for letter in recycling bag | Fine for letter in recycling bag |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Magistrates have fined a man £200 after finding him guilty of putting paper in a recycling sack for bottles and cans only - breaking council rules. | Magistrates have fined a man £200 after finding him guilty of putting paper in a recycling sack for bottles and cans only - breaking council rules. |
| Michael Reeves, 28, a journalist from Swansea, had denied putting an item of junk mail in the bag. | Michael Reeves, 28, a journalist from Swansea, had denied putting an item of junk mail in the bag. |
| The court was told the letter, which was addressed to him, "contaminated" the other items put out for recycling. | The court was told the letter, which was addressed to him, "contaminated" the other items put out for recycling. |
| After the hearing Mr Reeves said he had since stopped recycling and feared his case would discourage others. | After the hearing Mr Reeves said he had since stopped recycling and feared his case would discourage others. |
| Magistrates in the city were told under the Environmental Protection Act, councils could impose strict rules on their refuse collection services. | Magistrates in the city were told under the Environmental Protection Act, councils could impose strict rules on their refuse collection services. |
| Mr Reeves was served with a warning notice in April this year when he put his bins out a day early because he was going on holiday. | Mr Reeves was served with a warning notice in April this year when he put his bins out a day early because he was going on holiday. |
| Landfill | Landfill |
| Then in June a green recycling bag was found outside his ground floor flat in the Mount Pleasant area of the city containing both paper and bottles and cans. | Then in June a green recycling bag was found outside his ground floor flat in the Mount Pleasant area of the city containing both paper and bottles and cans. |
| Swansea Council enforcement officer Martin Lemon said: "There is a recycling scheme available in which paper can put into a green recycling sack and glass bottles and tins can be put into a separate sack." | Swansea Council enforcement officer Martin Lemon said: "There is a recycling scheme available in which paper can put into a green recycling sack and glass bottles and tins can be put into a separate sack." |
| People are not going to recycle if they end up in court and it costs them £200 Michael Reeves | People are not going to recycle if they end up in court and it costs them £200 Michael Reeves |
| He said if the items were mixed in the same bag then it would be sent to landfill instead as the council's recycling collection team refused to pick it up. | He said if the items were mixed in the same bag then it would be sent to landfill instead as the council's recycling collection team refused to pick it up. |
| "The fly-tipping team have responsibility for collecting waste that has been incorrectly disposed of," he said. | "The fly-tipping team have responsibility for collecting waste that has been incorrectly disposed of," he said. |
| "The teams are trained to search through any offending waste that they have found to look for evidence of its origins. | "The teams are trained to search through any offending waste that they have found to look for evidence of its origins. |
| "My colleague informed me that he had opened a green recycling sack and that he found a piece of junk mail with Mr Reeve's name and address." | "My colleague informed me that he had opened a green recycling sack and that he found a piece of junk mail with Mr Reeve's name and address." |
| I don't believe they proved beyond reasonable doubt that I put the paper in the bag - I did not Michael Reeves | I don't believe they proved beyond reasonable doubt that I put the paper in the bag - I did not Michael Reeves |
| Reeves, a sports writer with the city's Evening Post newspaper, denied putting the letter in the bag. | Reeves, a sports writer with the city's Evening Post newspaper, denied putting the letter in the bag. |
| The court heard there were no eye witnesses or camera footage of him doing so. | The court heard there were no eye witnesses or camera footage of him doing so. |
| His solicitor Nicola Smith said there was "an array" of possibilities of how it came to be in the sack. | His solicitor Nicola Smith said there was "an array" of possibilities of how it came to be in the sack. |
| But magistrates found him guilty and fined him £100 and ordered him to pay £100 costs. | But magistrates found him guilty and fined him £100 and ordered him to pay £100 costs. |
| Speaking after Tuesday's hearing Reeves described the case as "crazy". | Speaking after Tuesday's hearing Reeves described the case as "crazy". |
| "I don't believe they proved beyond reasonable doubt that I put the paper in the bag - I did not," he said. | "I don't believe they proved beyond reasonable doubt that I put the paper in the bag - I did not," he said. |
| He added: "I have not recycled since I received the summons. | |
| "People are not going to recycle if they end up in court and it costs them £200." | "People are not going to recycle if they end up in court and it costs them £200." |