Derbyshire firm fined for illegal fridge storage

Metal recycling firm Van Dalen UK Ltd was fined 20,000 for two charges relating to it depositing and keeping waste on land without a Waste Management Licence.

The charge was brought by the Environment Agency under section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The company was fined 10,000 on each of the two charges and ordered to pay 2,857 costs.

For the Agency, Carolyn Pickering told the court that on April 2 2004 an Environment Agency officer visited land on Mansfield Road, Clowyne in Derbyshire. He did this in response to a complaint from the member of the public concerning old fridges being stored on the site. He found 12 fridges.

The officer returned to the site on April 21 2004 and found 50-100 fridges being stored there. Between April 29 2004 and May 21 2004, the Environment Agency mounted a video surveillance operation on the sites were being stored.

Discovery

Activities on tape included the loading of fridges and freezers onto pallets and the dumping of fridges and freezers from lorries.

Three Environment Agency officers attended the site on May 22 2004. They found approximately 130 fridges and freezers. Two storage units were opened and both were found to be full of fridges and freezers. A stack of 60 televisions were also found.

Speaking after the case, Martin Turner, an Environment Agency officer involved in the investigation, said: “There are strict laws governing where waste can be stored. These are in place to protect the environment and human health. Van Dalen chose to disregard these and have paid the price for this illegal and irresponsible behaviour.”

The Environment Agency has also prosecuted SITA Southern Ltd for allowing strong gas odours to leave its Fair Oak landfill site in Hampshire, effecting residents living near by.