Kiveton: Firm fined £14,000 for illegally storing waste

A company based in Kiveton has been fined £14,000 for storing waste without the correct licence.
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Guardian News

Easy Skip Hire Ltd, based at Kiveton Park Industrial Estate, was also ordered to pay £3,131 costs and a £120 victim surcharge after pleading guilty at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court to operating a waste transfer facility without an Environmental Permit.

Environment Agency officers made a routine visit in May 2012 and found household, commercial and industrial waste being stored on site.

The company did not hold a permit to store waste but was allowed to have materials on site for refurbishing or repairing discarded furniture, bicycles and garden tools.

Officers advised the director of the company he would need a permit to operate a waste transfer station.

He told them he was aware of this and was in the process of applying for planning permission on a different unit on the estate and thereafter would apply for a permit.

During July and August, the same year, officers revisited the site on numerous occasions and found various piles of waste were still being stored there and the director was told again about a permit.

In October, the company was issued an Enforcement Notice and were asked to send all documentation and waste transfer notes, between 10th July 2012 and 25th October 2012. When the Environment Agency did not receive these, officers revisited the site.

They discovered the site was locked up but waste piles had reduced. The director told officers he had found a new site.

Another Enforcement Notice was issued to the company and on 16th November 2012 officers received a letter and the waste transfer notes.

An Agency spokesman said: “Easy Skip Hire Ltd allowed waste to be brought onto its site without being permitted to do so, undermining those who legitimately operate within the law.”

“The waste was stored on the ground and not contained, and during this time there was heavy rainfall causing large amounts of standing water on the site.”

“This had the potential to produce contaminated water and severe damage to the environment.”

“This prosecution demonstrates that we take waste crime very seriously and will not hesitate to prosecute if necessary, to protect the environment and local communities.”

In mitigation, the company was given credit for its early guilty plea.

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