Pensioner fined after failure to remove waste from his land

In a case brought by Environment Agency, he was fined £600 for each offence and ordered to pay £1,000 costs and a victim surcharge of £480.

The court heard the site – Otterford Caravan Park – did have in place a T9 Waste Exemption registered in his name, allowing for the recovery of scrap metal only. It was said to only have an S1 exemption allowing for waste storage in secure containers and an S2 exemption allowing the securing of waste in a secure place.

The T9 exemption allowed for the treatment of specified types and quantities of scrap metal, excluding scrap vehicles – at a site with sealed drainage to prevent liquid run off.

In January 2023, enforcement officers visited the site to find waste including end of life vehicles and parts, a “significant” quantity of mixed metal, mixed waste electronic equipment, as well as general commercial and domestic wastes, with no sealed drainage.

Contamination

During previous site visits, officers are said to have attempted to secure voluntary removal of the waste and Salter had said he wished to clear the site. However, this did not materialise, and the officers issued him notices, giving him until the end of the year to act on them.

But, a year after the initial visit, officers went back to the site and found waste still present, including a large amount of scrap metal and vehicles, gas bottles, batteries, wood, tyres, rubble and commercial and domestic waste, some of which was in skips. In addition, there was said to be a smell of oil contamination in one area. Since then, the site has virtually been cleared of waste.

Chris Lawson from the Environment Agency said following the case: “Waste exemptions have strict limits and conditions that must be complied with to protect the environment. If we issue a notice to clear waste from a site and you fail to comply, you risk prosecution, a fine and a criminal record.”