Dr Helen Phillips, director of the Agency in Wales, criticised a number of recent court decisions in which convicted waste offenders were given “surprisingly low” fines.
Surprised
“We have been surprised and very disappointed at the meagre level of fines imposed. Frankly, we do not believe they match the seriousness of the crime,” she said.
In one case this week, three people were convicted of offences related to operating an illegal landfill and waste transfer centre in Barry, south Wales. Although thousands of tonnes of waste had been illegally tipped on the site – which would cost 5-10 per tonne to dispose of at a licensed site – the three were fined just 750 in total and no costs were awarded to the Agency.
A spokesman for the Agency said he could not speculate on why fines were so low. “It's up to the individual judge,” he said, adding that the problem was not confined to Wales but widespread across the UK.
Penalties
The average fine for waste offences in Wales over the past year was about 2,000. The maximum penalty in a Magistrates Court for waste offences is six months in prison or a 20,000 fine – or both. In a Crown Court, there is no limit to potential fines and prison sentences can be up to two years.
“The illegal depositing of controlled waste can pose a serious threat to people's health as well as harming the environment,” Dr Phillips said. “It is important that offenders know they face the likelihood of tough punishment when they appear before the courts.”
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