Burning waste in Stranraer leads to fine for company
19 July 2010
A demolition company was fined £3,200 at Stranraer Sheriff Court
today (19 July 2010) following offences involving the burning of
waste bricks, soil, plastics, electrical cable, roofing materials
and wood.
Reigart Contracts Limited was fined after pleading guilty to
disposing of controlled waste by burning, when no waste management
licence was in place. The incident was investigated by the Scottish
Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and reported to the Procurator
Fiscal.
In January 2009 SEPA officers received telephone complaints from
members of the public about demolition waste being burned at
Belmont Road, Stranraer, causing lots of smoke which was adversely
affecting nearby properties.
On investigating officers saw a large plume of smoke dominating
the skyline of the town and on approaching the site smoke was seen
blowing across neighbouring properties. The fire, which was
approximately nine metres by 12 metres contained waste bricks,
soil, plastics, electrical cable, roofing materials and wood.
They requested that the fire was extinguished without delay.
SEPA continued to receive complaints about the fire and its effect
on neighbouring properties the following day
Ronald Todhunter, SEPA's investigating officer, said:
"The uncontrolled burning of wastes such as treated wood and
other miscellaneous wastes (which may have been chemically treated
also) can give off toxic chemicals which, as well as polluting the
environment, can harm human health. Soot, smoke and ash can
directly cause odour nuisance for the local population, as well as
deposition of particulates on property and land, as occurred in
this case. Acidic gases such as oxides of sulphur and
nitrogen can cause irritation of the eyes and the respiratory
system. This incident resulted in numerous complaints to SEPA
from people in neighbouring properties, occurring as it did in
close proximity to housing, a food manufacturing plant and a local
hospital."
Ends
Notes to editor
The exact charge Reigart Contracts Limited pled guilty to
was:
- On 20 January 2009 at the site of the former Coachmans Tavern,
2A Belmont Road, Stranraer, you Reigart Contracts Limited did
dispose of controlled waste, namely waste bricks, soil, plastics,
electrical cable, roofing materials and wood in or on land except
under and in accordance with a waste management licence, in that
you did dispose of said waste by burning on said land when no waste
management licence authorising such disposal was in place; CONTRARY
to the Environmental Protection Act 1990, section 33(1)(b)(i).