Illegally disposing of waste results in fine for Aberdeenshire
businessman
EXT01 – D01
An Aberdeenshire businessman was fined £900 at Banff Sheriff
Court yesterday (11 January 2010) after being found guilty of
offences relating to the illegal disposal of waste on land in
Turriff.
Adrian Walker was Director of Trux+ Limited, a Turriff based
vegetable processing company which is now in liquidation. He was
found guilty of illegally depositing and burning waste, including
vegetables and packaging, on land at Hospital Wood, Auchterless,
Turriff. The matter was investigated by the Scottish Environment
Protection Agency (SEPA) and reported to the Procurator Fiscal.
During a routine SEPA inspection of
Trux+ Ltd's property in November 2007, SEPA officers discovered
packing boxes, vehicle parts, insulation panels and furniture on
the site, as well as large deposits of rotting potatoes, paper and
wood waste. There was evidence on site of a large fire and pools of
surface water contaminated by vegetable waste contained gas bubbles
produced by the decomposing waste.
Further visits between November 2007
and February 2008 showed that the company continued their
unlicensed waste disposal operations on the site and SEPA officers
witnessed more evidence of fires and large areas of ground covered
with rotting vegetables. Officers repeatedly informed the company
that it was not appropriate to deal with rubbish in this way and
provided advice on how it could be handled, but when officers
attended the site again in June, following reports of large fires
from members of the public, it was clear that a large amount of
packing boxes had been burnt.
Thomas McLeman, SEPA's investigating officer, said: "Mr Walker
and the company were repeatedly told by officers that these
activities were not permitted, but the practices continued.
Decomposing vegetable matter produces leachate which can leak into
groundwater and watercourses, and gases which enter the atmosphere
and cause unpleasant odours. Burning plastics is recognised as
causing noxious fumes which would undoubtedly have resulted in a
discharge of atmospheric pollutants to the air.
"Essentially the company was running an unregulated landfill
operation and has unfairly benefited financially by doing so, as
competitors will have had to pay to transport their waste to a
permitted landfill site and to dispose of it there."
SEPA's Colin Bayes, Director of Environmental Protection and
Improvement, said: "We want to help people avoid pollution and
advice on how to do that is easily available from our staff,
offices and www.sepa.org.uk. The NetRegs
website, www.netregs.gov.uk, also offers
clear guidance on environmental rules and regulations. However,
where pollution is significant or persistent, or is as a result of
willful or negligent actions, SEPA will use its enforcement powers
to protect the environment for the benefit of all of Scotland's
citizens.
"Importantly, if a pollution incident occurs, we urge anyone to
let us know straight away by calling our 24 hour pollution report
line, 0800 80 70 60, giving as many details as possible so
effective action can be taken."
Ends
Notes to editors
The exact wording of the charges which Adrian Walker was found
guilty of were:
· Between 01 November 2007 and 29 February 2008
in or on land at Hospital Wood, West Pitdoulzie, Auchterless,
Turriff, you Adrian Paul Walker (being a Director in Trux + Ltd)
did knowingly cause to be deposited/knowingly permit to be
deposited controlled waste, namely, vegetables, non-segregated wood
and packaging general wastes, on or in said land without the
authority of a waste management licence; CONTRARY to the
Environmental Protection Act 1990, Section 33(1)(a) as amended.
· On or around 1 November 2007 in or on land at
Hospital Wood, West Pitdoulzie, Auchterless, Turriff, you Adrian
Paul Walker (being a Director in Trux + Ltd) did knowingly
cause/knowingly permit controlled waste, namely
non-segregated wood to be disposed of by way of burning in or on
said land at said Hospital Wood otherwise than in accordance with a
waste management licence in that said waste was disposed of by way
of burning; CONTRARY to the Environmental Protection Act, Section
33(1)(b)
The Hospital Wood site has now been sold to another company,
and the new owners are not connected in any way with this
case