Around 45 tonnes of fly-tipping was dumped within the district from companies in London and Essex last year.

Household waste and paperwork belonging to a City firm and people in Laindon and Basildon was identified by the Environment Agency amongst the excess waste.

A skip hire boss who employed the rogue collector was ordered to pay nearly £25,000 for failing in his duty of care.

Removing the waste cost the Council £4,500, some of which will be refunded from the money paid by the defendant.

A spokesman for Epping Forest District Council said: “The duty of care rules are there to protect the environment and legitimate traders who want to do a good job of disposing of waste properly.

“We take fly tipping in our district very seriously and will diligently pursue all avenues to bring the culprits to justice.”

Owner and operator Robert Walker of Bob’s Skips in Basildon, Essex, failed to check the legitimacy of a haulier who claimed to be working for a genuine haulage company.

Sarah Dunne, prosecuting for the Environment Agency, told magistrates that Walker arranged four disposals but had no idea where the waste would be disposed.

The waste was later found fly tipped in four Essex locations, including North Weald.

Walker had asked for waste transfer notices but made no further enquiries about the company’s legitimacy and failed to notice the forms were not completed properly.

Due to the inaccurate nature of the paperwork, it was not possible to trace the vehicle used to deposit the waste or the driver.

Mrs Dunne said: “This unlawful waste disposal could have been prevented if the code of practice had been followed.

“By breaching his duty of care, he avoided the costs and taxes involved in sending waste to a permitted site.”

Walker was fined £10,000, ordered to pay £8,300 towards the costs of the clean-up of the fly-tipped rubbish and £6,532 in costs.