The Environment Agency began prosecution proceedings late last week against the company, its former company director Robert Bulcock and secretary David Yeomans for “lapses in security and fire precautions” at its Twining Road site in Trafford Park.
 Britannia has been charged over a fire that occurred at its Trafford Park site in October 2003 |
In October 2003, tens of thousands of fridge units stored at the site were damaged in a fire, which also resulted in a warning to residents living up to 12 miles away to close windows and doors as a precautionary measure.
The company is now in liquidation following the decision of its major customer – Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority – to terminate its contract last year. But despite this, the Environment Agency was granted permission by the High Court to continue with its prosecution.
At a preliminary hearing at Trafford Magistrates’ Court, magistrates agreed to the Agency’s request to refer the case to the Crown Court “given the seriousness of the charges against the company as well as its directors, Mr Bulcock and Mr Yeomans”. The Crown Court has greater powers to impose tougher penalties on defendants if found guilty.
Specifically, Britannia was charged with failing to comply with two conditions of its Waste Management Licence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, during October and December 2003 and also in January 2004. As directors of the company, Mr Bulcock and Mr Yeomans were charged with allowing the company to breach the same conditions of the licence.
Britannia Import Export Limited is no longer trading, but before going into liquidation it operated a number of scrap fridge sites in Greater Manchester. In August 2003, the company was fined 35,000 by Oldham Magistrates' Court for breaking its license conditions on another site (see letsrecycle.com story).
The Environment Agency said a date for the Crown Court hearing has yet to be set.
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