Stephen Williams was the sole company director for two waste removal companies – Wenvoe Environmental Limited and Servmax Limited.
He pleaded guilty to depositing controlled waste through the companies without an environmental permit between October 2018 and October 2019.
Other charges included the blending or mixing of waste before disposal and depositing 1843.32 tonnes of mixed and contaminated bales of textile waste, at Pen Yr Heol Las Farm, Caerphilly.
Timeline of events
Officers from NRW first visited the site in July 2019 and found a significant amount of baled waste textiles in the main yard of the farm, along with several curtain sided vehicles of similar material waiting to be unloaded.
Officers found the textile bales were contaminated with general waste and could not be used for the equine purposes as Williams claimed (for example, to be used for horse bedding).
Officers instructed Williams not to deposit any further material. However, during subsequent follow up visits, officers found more waste had been left on the site. This was declared a high fire risk by the Fire and Rescue Service.
Williams was served with a legal notice requiring him to remove all of the waste to a legal site by 30 August 2019. He failed to comply with this request and a separate request from NRW to supply information under Section 71 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
On 1 May 2019, the landowners found the unit to be full of bales of textile waste that had been deposited there illegally by Mr Williams and reported it to NRW.
A further notice to remove the waste was delivered. Once again, Williams failed to comply with the notice – leaving the freehold owners with the responsibility to remove the waste themselves at a personal cost of £48,790.
Final charges against Mr Williams and his second company, Servmax Limited, related to offences for the depositing of waste at Hengwrt in Dolgellau and operating a waste facility without an environmental permit.
On Wednesday (21 August 2024), the Judge deferred sentencing so that a Proceeds of Crime Application timetable could be set for the potential recovery of monies from Williams. This will be used to clear the sites at Caerphilly and Hengwrt and reimburse the landowners in Cowbridge.
‘We take offences of this nature very seriously’
Su Fernandez, senior enforcement officer for Natural Resources Wales, said: “Environmental regulations are in place for a reason. Permits are required for businesses that move and store waste, to make sure this is done in a way that does not pose a risk to the environment or human health.
“We work closely with operators to make sure activities comply with the law and provide support and guidance when required.
“Disposing of waste illegally undermines businesses that comply with regulations and invest in the required measures. We take offences of this nature very seriously. We won’t hesitate to take the appropriate steps to protect people and nature and help safeguard the marketplace for legitimate operators.”
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