A Buckler Haulage, of Marsh Road in Middlesbrough, was found guilty at Teeside Magistrate's Court on Wednesday of burning waste and failing to notify the environment agency.
” This gives a clear warning to all businesses of the costs of not complying with environmental regulations. “
– Andrew Dobson, Environment Agency
The company received a waste management license in 2003 but failed to observe its condition that no waste could be burnt on site.
Despite two formal warnings from the Environment Agency and a formal interview with director Mark Love, the company built fires at its Lloyd Street site until the waste management license was revoked in January.
Mr Love claimed that he had no knowledge of the conditions of the license but admitted that employees were starting fires to “keep warm”. However, he also blamed vagrants illegally entering the site.
Guilty
At court, A Buckler Haulage entered an immediate guilty plea and said in mitigation that it had built a new heated cabin, employed new staff, offered training and built a new gate and installed CCTV.
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The Magistrates said that the company had failed to take reasonable action in response to warnings and advice by the Environment Agency and this had created harm to the environment.
Environment Agency environment officer Andrew Dobson said: “The company was given several warnings regarding their activities, and this case is the result of them failing to take appropriate action in respect to those warnings. This gives a clear warning to all businesses of the costs of not complying with environmental regulations.”
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