The Environment Agency (EA) has blocked access to a skips site in Sheffield to prevent it from accepting and managing waste.
A court order is now in place prohibiting anyone from entering or depositing waste on the site at M White Skips Limited, Worthing Road, Sheffield, which the EA says is to reduce the impact on the local community and the environment.
The Restriction Order was obtained at Sheffield Magistrates Court to restrict access to the site and is the first time the powers have been used in Yorkshire.
At a hearing on 15 March 2023, the court heard evidence from South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service but the EA said it had insufficient time to hear from all its witnesses.
The Court heard from an EA Environmental Crime Officer and an Officer of South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service that the condition of the site was such that it posed a risk of serious pollution to the environment and serious harm to human health, and a restriction order was necessary.
We are inspecting the site regularly and continuing to work with partners to ensure this order is followed.
The court determined that the restriction order should remain in place until a further hearing of the evidence on 3 May 2023. The current order prevents access to the site, except to remove waste, and waste cannot be imported or processed onsite.
The EA says it is working alongside South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service in the ongoing criminal investigation into activities at the site.
Jacqui Tootill, South Yorkshire Area Environment Manager at the Environment Agency, commented: “Our officers have already taken enforcement action to issue a restriction order for this site – preventing any further waste from being dumped or treated there and ensuring that the operator can only access the site to remove waste.
“We are inspecting the site regularly and continuing to work with partners to ensure this order is followed and also working to ensure the site is cleared. We will take further enforcement action if necessary and continue to investigate the alleged offending linked to the activities at this site.”