SINGAPORE: A moving services company director who tried to scrimp on disposal fees ended up paying far more for illegally dumping bulky furniture.
The man was fined S$9,000 last Thursday (Nov 7) for dumping more than 20 pieces of bulky furniture along Jalan Terusan in Jurong, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) on Tuesday.
AdvertisementAdvertisementNEA officers found the illegally dumped furniture during "routine surveillance", and traced it to the director.
Investigations found that the man had provided moving services on Sep 30 last year to a customer. Instead of sending the unwanted furniture to a second-hand dealer or recycler, he decided to save on the disposal fee and dumped the furniture along Jalan Terusan.
A photo provided by the NEA showed a pile of haphazardly stacked office chairs by the roadside.
The man was charged with dumping waste from a vehicle in a public place under the Environmental Public Health Act.
AdvertisementAdvertisementHe could have been fined up to S$50,000 and jailed for up to 12 months. For repeat offenders, the fine may be as high as S$100,000.
"Illegal dumping of waste in a public place is a serious offence as it causes pollution and public health hazards," said NEA in a media release.
The agency said it welcomes tip-offs from members of the public on illegal dumping activities.
The number of illegal dumping cases fell from 160 in 2000 to 53 cases last year, it added.
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