Fly infestation costs Blakeleys 54,000

The company was fined 42,000 and ordered to pay 12,000 in costs at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates Court last Thursday (May 30) after the Environment Agency brought the case following a series of breaches to Blakeleys environmental permit.

The Agency said the illegal storage of waste at Units five and six at the Hindley Green Business Park led to a significant fly infestation which affected other businesses on the park in May 2012.

It explained that on April 30 and May 2 2012 between 50 and 60 production staff at nearby Contitech walked off their shift due to a nuisance caused by flies. The staff canteen was also closed for approximately four weeks. The Agency said the infestation was a result of up to 12,000 bales of mixed commercial and food waste being stored in the units occupied by Blakeleys next door.

Blakeleys was also fined for activities relating to its premises at Junction Works, Bickershaw Lane. An environmental permit is held for this site however between March and September 2012 the business was moving waste from this site to other sites in Wigan that did not hold a suitable permit for the storage of mixed waste, according to the Agency.

Additionally, under the permit, the business is required to store mixed commercial waste inside which must be processed within a certain time period. However, the court heard that thousands of bales were stored outdoors in a rotting condition which triggered the infestation of flies.

Significant disruption

Andrew Jobson from the Environment Agency said: In this case the business has been penalised because it knowingly breached its permit and in doing so cause significant disruption to local business and residents. We will continue to target the poor performing companies and illegal activities that cause damage to the environment and pose a risk to communities.

When contacted by letsrecycle.com Blakeleys Waste Management did not wish to comment.

Charges

In total, Blakeleys was charged with four offences on May 30. They are:

• 8,000 fine – That on 17 May 2012 at premises known as Junction Works, Bickershaw Lane, Wigan you contravened condition number 2.1.1 of Environmental Permit number EAWML53612, in that you failed to keep non-hazardous wastes in a building or within a secure container, contrary to Regulation 38(2) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010;
• 15,000 fine – That between 30 May 2012 and 5 July 2012 at premises known as the former Foscolour site, Bickershaw Lane, Wigan, you did contravene Regulation 12(1)(a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulation 2010 in that you operated a regulated facility except under and to the extent authorised by an environmental permit contrary to Regulation 38(1)(a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010;
• 15,000 fine – That between 27 March 2012 and 13 September 2012 at premises known as Units 5 and 6, Hindley Green Business Park, Hindley Green, Wigan, you did contravene Regulation 12(1)(a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulation 2010 in that you operated a regulated facility except under and to the extent authorised by an environmental permit contrary to Regulation 38(1)(a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010; and,
• 4,000 fine – That on 13 September 2012 at premises known as Units 5 and 6, Hindley Green Business Park, Hindley Green, Wigan, you failed without reasonable excuse to comply with a Notice dated 3 May 2012 and served on you pursuant to section 59(1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 contrary to section 59(5) of the said Act.

The firm has previously encountered problems at land in Nook Lane, Oswaldtwistle after bales of waste stored there resulted in the local community being plagued by flies (see letsrecycle.com story).