Two men from East Sussex have received suspended prison sentences for their roles in the illegal dumping of baled waste at sites in Sussex and Kent.
The offences took place between April and October 2018 and were uncovered following an investigation by the Environment Agency.
Clifford Wake, 65, was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for 18 months. He must also complete 240 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,000 in costs over 12 months, along with a victim surcharge.
Gary Wilmshurst, 58, also known as George Stewart, of Churchfield, Westfield, Hastings, was given a 35-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. He was ordered to pay £500 in costs over six months and a victim surcharge.
Non-recyclable materials, mostly builders waste and plastics, were found within the baled waste, as well as items from house clearances, such as mattress and foam, and artificial grass.
1,534 bales totalling 997.4 tonnes of waste were deposited at the Bombardier site, and an estimated 180 tonnes of waste were deposited at Upper Lodge Farm. None of the sites which were used to store baled waste had any relevant environmental permissions.
At Lewes Crown Court, Wake pleaded guilty to two counts under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, in that he knowingly caused the deposit of waste at two sites, a former railway yard in Kent and Upper Lodge Farm near Lewes.
Wilmshurst pleaded guilty to one count under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, in that he knowingly caused the deposit of waste at Upper Lodge Farm near Lewes.
An Environment Agency spokesman commented: “We will pursue and bring before the courts those involved in waste crime which seriously blights communities and the environment, no matter how long it takes.”