30-May-2006
- On 26 May 2006 Smiths Gloucester Limited of
Gloucester pleaded guilty at Cheltenham Magistrates
to two charges of failing to ensure that asbestos
was handled and stored correctly at their site
at Moreton Valance.
The charges were brought by
the Environment Agency under Section 33 of the
Environmental Protection Act 11000. Smiths Gloucester
Limited were fined a total of £12,000 and
ordered to pay full costs of £1,595.85.
For the Environment Agency,
Dermot Scully told the court that on the 13 June
2005, an Environment Agency Officer inspected
Smiths Gloucester Limited, a licensed waste management
facility in Moreton Valance, Gloucestershire.
On the site visit the officer found evidence that
asbestos was not being stored and sealed in a
lockable container, as required by the conditions
of their licence. Evidence was collected and they
were issued with a site warning.
Environment Agency Officers
visited the site on two further occasions in June
and August 2005. On both inspections the officers
found asbestos being stored in an unsafe manner.
Speaking after the case, Craig
House, Lead Environment Agency Officer involved
in the investigation said; ‘We issue waste management
licences that authorise the keeping, treatment,
or disposal of controlled waste. They ensure that
waste management facilities do not pollute the
environment, cause harm to human health or serious
detriment to local amenities. We expect companies
dealing with waste to maintain the highest operational
standards and where companies fail to maintain
these standards we will take necessary, firm action.’
In an interview, Smiths Limited
admitted that asbestos had not been stored as
required by Waste Management Licence conditions
on all occasions.
When handing down the fine in
court on 26 May 2006, the magistrate said that
"management of the company had acted recklessly’.
In mitigation, Erik Salomonson
on behalf of Smiths Gloucester Limited said that
this was a one off occurrence due to the late
delivery of a container capable of being kept
closed when not in use.
