12-May-2006 - A Bridgend
Skip Operator was ordered to pay over £4,400
in fines and costs for waste offences at Bridgend
Magistrates Court this week on Monday 8th May.
Environment Agency Wales brought the prosecution.
Allan Hill of St Davids Way,
Porthcawl, pleaded guilty to two charges relating
to the illegal deposit and disposal of controlled
waste, contrary to Section 33 of the Environmental
Protection Act 11000. He also pleaded guilty to
two further offences brought under Section 34
of the Act in respect of failing to comply with
his Duty of Care obligations. He was fined a total
of £3,500 and ordered to pay £989
towards our investigation and prosecution costs.
The court was told that Hill
was using his premises at the Village Farm Industrial
Estate, Pyle as an illegal transfer station to
deposit and treat significant quantities of waste
generated through his business. Hill saved thousands
of pounds by avoiding the cost of a licence application
and subsistence fees enabling him to undercut
the prices given by legitimate skip operators.
It was clear during the inspection by our officers
that waste had been burnt on site resulting in
further savings being made by avoiding legitimate
disposal costs.
Speaking after the case Lyn
Richards, Enforcement Officer with Environment
Agency Wales, said: "Unfortunately, this
is an all to familiar example of illegal waste
disposal where the defendant has given no regard
to the impact of his activities on the local environment.
Illegal operators like Hill are able to undercut
legitimate ones who have invested large sums of
money in the necessary safeguards to protect the
environment and human health. It is vitally important
that people who produce, transport or dispose
of waste comply with waste legislation as we will
not hesitate to prosecute those breaking the law."
