In this year's 'Spotlight on Business' report the Agency said “On the whole, the management of waste facilities was better than last year.” But it highlighted the “high proportion” of waste operator offenders and said that there is clearly still room from improvement.
Agency chief executive Barbara Young said that last year there were 155 incidents of illegal activity in the waste industry. And that this was not helping the image of the industry. She said the Agency is hoping for Landfill Tax money to increase action on illegal waste activity.
The report stated that: “Waste facilities received the highest number of large fines this year, including the highest fine of the year and the largest ever fine against a waste management company.”
The biggest fine of 250,000 plus 400,000 costs and prosecution for eight offences was imposed on Cleansing Service Group. The company was penalised after residents complained of illness following “fireballs and explosions” at one of its sites. It was found that a number of toxic substances – including hydrogen chloride and Phosgene had been released into the air.
Other large fines were imposed on Eurocare Environmental (100,000), Reefguild (50,000) and European Metal Recycling, which endured a penalty of 50,000 for polluting two Swindon brooks with oil. The pollution was said to be a result of poor maintenance and bad drains.
Onyx, SITA and Lincwaste also all met with significant fines in the region of 10,000-12,000.
Positivity
The report said however, that there were positive, encouraging trends and an overall improved performance. Included in the good performers list was cement manufacturer Lafarge which has invested 3 million on installing new equipment at its Aberthaw site to reduce emissions. The measures have been found to improve local air quality standards.
Other particularly good sites included 56 run by Waste Recycling Group, 52 run by Sita Holding's UK, 36 Biffa sites, and Onyx's Tyseley Waste Disposal – an energy-from-waste plant in Birmingham.
The Agency said that “overall waste operator performance scores have improved by 15%,” but that there was room for improvement.
It also reiterated the crack-down on illegal and unlicensed waste activities, stating in the report: “We are tough on those illegally dumping wastes so we made 186 prosecutions in 2003.
“This included Britannia Import Export Limited, a wholesales of electric household goods, fined a total of 35,500 for a series of offences including the illegal dumping of waste.”
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