Wiltshire businessman fined for illegally operating a tyre waste site

The operator of an illegal waste site has been ordered to pay more than £4,700 and served with a notice to remove 2,000 illegally deposited tyres after admitting operating at the site without a valid Environmental Permit.

Wayne Clark was fined £2,700, ordered to pay £1,998.25 in costs and a £15 victim surcharge at Oxfordshire Magistrates’ Court yesterday (17 December, 2012).

The court heard how Mr Clark illegally deposited tyres at a small industrial park in Faringdon Business Park near Great Coxwell, Oxfordshire between October 2011 and January 2012.

During a four month investigation, the Environment Agency visited the site on a number of occasions. On all visits tyres were seen on the site. On a visit on the 9 November, an officer spoke to Mr Clark on the phone explaining that his operations were illegal and sent a letter confirming this. Mr Clark agreed to stop the activities and clear the tyres off the site pending any discussions about obtaining a permit.

On 4 January, a Police Community Support Officer reported that he had seen wheels and tyres being taken to the site, and that tyres were being cut from their rims. Environment Agency officers visited the site a few days later and saw an increase in the numbers of tyres.

Mr Clark was interviewed under caution on 12 March this year and admitted bringing tyres to the site and cutting the tyres from their metal rims in order to sell the metal. Mr Clark confirmed that none of the tyres had been removed but stated that he would arrange for disposal. Environment Agency officers made numerous visits to the site in the following months but again the site had not been cleared.

Investigating officer Jack Knight said: “We take waste crime very seriously. Running an unregulated waste operation can damage the environment and provide unfair competition to properly regulated sites, which have the additional costs of complying with a permit.
“This case should serve as a reminder that companies need to have the correct waste permits in place to operate legally. We work closely with businesses to help them comply with the law. However, if companies or individuals consistently operate illegally, we will have no hesitation in prosecuting them.”

via Environment Agency – Wiltshire businessman fined for illegally operating a tyre waste site.