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Skip-fire firm fined £20,000 for noxious fires
Page 19
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A THEALE SKIP-HIRE firm has been fined over £20,000 for illegally burning waste.
Reading Skips was found guilty of breaching four conditions of the waste management licence for its site in Station Road. The holder of the licence, Hugh O'Donnell of Belmont Road, Reading, was found guilty of the same charge, and of illegally burning waste materials in November 2002 and 2003.
Newbury magistrates heard that on 2 November 2002 a member of the public alerted the police to a night-time blaze and a helicopter was sent to investigate. A quantity of waste equivalent in size to 15 trucks parked side-by-side burned at the site for four days.
In November 2003 Environment Agency officers were called to another large fire at the same site. Numerous calls were received from the public as thick smoke was affecting the surrounding area.
An investigation revealed that in both November 2002 and 2003, green waste and items including mattresses and doors had been stored on an area of the Reading Skips site that was not covered by its licence. On both occasions the materials were burnt at the site instead of being transported to a legal landfill or waste transfer site.
EA Investigating officer Julia Leigh says: -A waste management licence requires the holder to store and dispose of waste in a responsible manner, and of course with minimal impact on the environment and neighbouring community.
"On these two occasions this was clearly not done and we are pleased the court has recognised the seriousness of ignoring these requirements with these fines."