Firm fined £40,000 for burning waste
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Bilston Skip Hire was fined £40k for burning waste materials over a 12-month period
By Roger Brown
BIlSTON SKIP HIRE Services has been ined £40,000 for burning waste materials at its Wolverhampton yard over a 12-month period.
In a case brought by the Environment Agency (EA), Wolverhampton Magistrates’ Court was told how, in August 2009, oficers visited the Bilston Skip Hire premises in Monmore Road following complaints from neighbours. When they arrived at the facility, they witnessed smoke coming from the yard.
In April 2010, after receiving several more complaints about smoke and odour coming from the address over previous weeks, oficers witnessed a ire burning on the site.
Following more complaints in May last year, EA oficers discovered another large ire burning, mostly scrap wood, with a stockpile nearby. Further ires were reported and investigated throughout July and August 2010.
West Midland Fire Service oficers were called to the site on several occasions, describing the incidents as an “unnecessary drain on operational resources” . According to the ire service, the welfare of the site’s employees, local residents and attending crews was also a concern because of “unknown fumes” being given off as pollutants.
Bilston was convicted of two charges under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2007 and 2010 and also ordered to pay costs of £5,000.
Magistrates said there had been a “prolonged breach” of the rules, the directors were fully aware that ires were not permitted, and that the large ires had caused distress and inconvenience to local residents, a nearby wholesale market, and the Monmore greyhound stadium. Despite being told to stop the practice by the EA, the company continued to burn the materials over a 12-month period for commercial gain, and this had caused nuisance.
In mitigation, the company, which was authorised for four vehicles, apologised and admitted liability, saying it had been struggling inancially as a result of the recession.
Doug Freakley, EA environment management team leader, says: “This company ignored repeated warnings from the Environment Agency to stop burning waste.
“It blighted the local environment with smoke from ires and has also wasted our time and that of other agencies responding to these unnecessary events.”