How much money do you think littering an entire van-load of trash onto the side of the road would cost you?
A man in Wiltshire, England — while not the first to do it — has found the answer, according to BBC.
Mohammed Hawkar was borrowing a van from a business to transport furniture. When he picked it up, though, it was full of the business's trash — so he chucked it to the side of the A303, a public highway, per BBC.
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According to the outlet, the dumped waste was mostly cardboard, so it could have made for great recycling. Yet it was thrown away in a place where it could take years to naturally decompose. Authorities eventually tracked Hawkar down, and he pled guilty, leading to a £3,950 fine — that's over $5,000.
It's a serious penalty, but it's for a good reason. Disposing of human-created products or garbage in haphazard ways can pollute other animals' habitats, as well as poison our own water and soil with microplastics and other toxins. The long-term health impacts of plastic pollution alone are still only beginning to be understood.
That's why taking care of waste with the environment in mind — even if it means a slight inconvenience, like an extra stop at the recycling center or landfill — makes a difference.
It's also why fines like this one are in place, even though they are steep and can be a real financial burden. The policy, in this case, matches the problem.
"Environment Enforcement officers will pursue offenders as part of our zero-tolerance approach to environmental crime," said Nick Holder, Wiltshire councilor and a cabinet member of highways, flooding, and street scene, per BBC.
"Our message is clear," he added. "We will fine or prosecute anyone caught illegally dumping rubbish in our beautiful county."
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