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Waste burning leads to fine for Loanhead waste company

12 January 2012

A waste company was fined £1,650 today (12 January 2012) at Edinburgh Sheriff Court for burning waste at its site in Loanhead.

Caledonian Industrial Limited, trading as Caleco Waste, admitted disposing of controlled waste by burning waste wood, including wooden pellets and wooden fencing, and contravening a condition of their waste management licence at their site at Eldin Industrial Estate, Edgefield Road. A report was sent to the Procurator Fiscal by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).

Complaints were received from members of the public in early December 2010 regarding waste being burnt at the site. A SEPA officer telephoned the site on receipt of these complaints to discuss the matter as, due to the extreme weather at the end of 2010, it was not possible to conduct a site visit. It was confirmed that burning was taking place. The company was verbally informed at that time that burning on site was not permitted, and all burning on site must cease immediately.

SEPA officers were able to attend the site on 9 December and noted five separate fires in four separate areas of the site. The burning waste observed comprised a mixture waste wood, including wooden pallets and wooden fencing. A considerable plume of smoke was emitting from one which was both visible and odorous.

The site manager informed the officers that the fires were burning in order to allow the site to continue operating in the extremely cold conditions. SEPA reiterated that burning waste was not permitted at the site and the fires should be put out immediately

Simone O'Dowd, SEPA's investigating officer, said:

"Although we were unable to carry out a site investigation at the time of some of the complaints, due to the bad weather, we did make contact with Caledonian Industrial Limited at the time, and told them to stop burning on four separate occasions before we carried out a site visit.

"Burning waste can have a detrimental effect upon the general amenity of the locality caused by black smoke and ash deposits on cars and windows. Additionally there may be a risk to people in the vicinity, depending on where smoke travels and what is being burnt. We received numerous complaints from several different people concerned about this site burning waste."

Ends

Notes to editor

• On 9 December 2010 at Eldin Industrial Estate, Edgefield Road, Loanhead, Midlothian you Caledonian Industrial Limited trading as Caleco Waste being the holder of Waste Management Licence WML/E/20179, did contravene Condition 6.7 of said licence, which states  that "No waste of any kind shall be burnt within the boundaries of the site. A fire at the site shall be regarded as an emergency and immediate action shall be taken to extinguish it. All outbreaks of fire shall be notified forthwith to SEPA" IN THAT on the aforementioned date waste comprising of wood, straw and other material was burnt on an area of hard standing, within the boundaries of the licenced area at the locus described contrary to the Environmental Protection Act 1990, Section 33(6).

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