Mum who put envelope in public bin faces £300 fine after making ‘three mistakes’

Natasha Sheldon Lane, 35, has been asked to attend an ‘interview under caution’ after the parcel’s plastic envelope was found in a public waste bin

A mother is confronting fly-tipping accusations after collecting a small package from an Aldi collection point. Natasha Sheldon Lane, 35, has been summoned to attend an “interview under caution” after the parcel’s plastic wrapping was discovered in a public rubbish bin.

Eager to verify the correct item had been delivered, she opened the package and disposed of its non-recyclable covering in a black bin on Duke Street, Flint. She gave it no further thought until a letter arrived from Flintshire Council’s environmental enforcement unit.

This charged her with the “unlawful depositing of waste” under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, reports North Wales Live.

Called to meet with an environmental crime officer at the council’s Alltami depot, Natasha was informed she could bring legal representation at her own expense.

As she’s a mother of two who provides full-time care for her youngest child, aged 13, who has additional needs, she cannot travel to the depot.

Instead, a crime officer was set to call at her home today.

“I spoke to the officer this morning,” she said.

“He told me I could be facing fly-tipping charges with a £300 fine. He said he also has discretion to impose a £75 littering fine instead. If I could afford a solicitor, I would be fighting this all the way.”

Natasha acknowledges that she made three key errors: failing to tear up the plastic envelope to hide her address; confessing to officers that she had disposed of the envelope in the bin; and not understanding that a thin piece of plastic could cause her such significant problems.

“I’d have been better off throwing it on the floor,” she admitted. “My only crime was being honest and law-abiding – placing the envelope in the bin and then admitting I’d done so.”

Natasha continued: “What’s happened is completely ridiculous. It’s causing unnecessary stress to someone who only tried to do the right thing.

“What’s worrying is that council staff are rifling through public bins in the hope of catching someone out. How much is this costing? The council is always complaining it has no money yet it can afford to do this.”

Natasha claims she was informed that she was being held accountable for the entire contents of the black bin as her item was the only litter found inside with an address label. “The officer told me I was the fourth person to be investigated for this offence this week,” she disclosed.

Natasha has spoken out hoping to alert others to the dangers of rubbish disposal.

Whilst her plastic wrapper bore markings indicating it wasn’t suitable for household recycling bins, she has now learnt it could have been voluntarily taken to “soft plastics” recycling containers found in supermarkets and Co-op outlets.

The same applies to items such as crisp packets and bread bags which also cannot be recycled through household collections.

“It’s really sad that people are being targeted who are only trying to do the right thing,” she said. “I understand there are some items that shouldn’t be put in a public bin, like diabetic boxes containing used needles that should be returned to a chemist.

“But a non-recyclable plastic parcel wrapper? Where’s the common sense in that? The most annoying thing is that I live nearby and I can see this bin from my house. Every day I see older people sitting down nearby to read their letters – will they be targeted too?”

When Natasha posted about her ordeal online, it sparked fury.

The rage was intensified by rapidly increasing council taxes, diminished rubbish collections and a fly-tipping crisis that has left some side streets overwhelmed with abandoned furniture and domestic waste.

She continued: “I will probably have to accept the £75 littering fine as I can’t afford a fly-tipping charge. In this day and age, who can afford these kinds of spurious fines? It will have to come out of my carer’s allowance.

“I worry that some people will have to go without eating just to pay off these fines.

“It may be too late for me to do anything about it. But I hope that by highlighting what has happened to me, it will help stop others falling into the same trap.”

Flintshire Council confirmed it was “currently investigating this matter”. Katie Wilby, chief officer for Streetscene and Transportation, added: “As it is an active investigation, it is not appropriate to comment further at this stage.”

On its website, Flintshire Council clarifies that under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, it’s an offence to discard household or business waste in public litter bins.

The council further explains: “Public litter bins are provided only for waste produced when you’re out and about, and bagged dog waste.

“They should not be used for disposing of domestic or business waste. In town centres, these bins are emptied two to three times per day, and regularly in other areas.

“It is also a fly-tipping offence to leave any type of waste, including domestic and business waste, near a litter bin (e.g. black bin bag or shopping bag).

“If your waste is found to be dumped illegally, whether you know about it or not, you can be fined up to £5,000.”