Three men have been sentenced for illegally depositing waste at an industrial unit in Wrexham which “threatened the local environment” and resulted in over £900,000 worth of damage.
The men were given suspended sentences after investigations found that more than 1,600 tonnes of mixed waste, compacted into cube-shaped bales and wrapped in plastic sheeting, had been illegally deposited at a unit on the Llay Industrial Estate, Wrexham.
The company FCM Commercial Services Limited was also ordered to pay fines and costs amounting to £6,500 after being found to have knowingly transported waste and deposited it at the industrial unit.
The heat being produced by the waste meant there was a real risk of self-combustion and fire.
Following an initial inspection in May 2017, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) says its officers found the unit building to be over three-quarters full of waste bales. Some bales had rips in the plastic sheeting and NRW officers said they could see that they contained mixed waste made up of plastic, wood, carpet, glass, fibre and foam.
NRW says its officers discovered extensive damage had been caused to the building, later found to be worth an estimated £934,589.51. Further financial investigations are ongoing under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA).
On 28 April, Anthony Gordon Park, from Carmarthen, was sentenced at Caernarfon Magistrates Court for operating a regulated facility otherwise than in accordance with an environmental permit. Park received a 14-month custodial sentence to be suspended for 18 months.
Co-defendants, Gavin Taylor, from Sheffield, and Karl Jones, from Rotherham, were also sentenced for knowingly causing controlled waste to be deposited on land otherwise than in accordance with an environment permit. Taylor also received a 14-month custody to be suspended for 18 months, whilst Jones received a 12-month community order with 68 hours of unpaid work.
Had officers not intervened when they did this could have ended in catastrophe for the surrounding area, local environment and the public.
David Powell, NRW Operations Manager for North East Wales, commented: “Whether you’re the waste producer or carrier, everyone has a legal duty to check that the person or company taking and depositing the waste is registered on NRW’s public register. In this case, the landowner ended up paying for the waste to be removed.
“The heat being produced by the waste meant there was a real risk of self-combustion and fire. Had officers not intervened when they did this could have ended in catastrophe for the surrounding area, local environment and the public.”
