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Illegal tip costs skip boss £13,000
A SKIP hire boss has been fined almost £13,000 for running an illegal tip in Barnsley.
Michael Weldrick and his firm, 1st 4 Builders, pleaded guilty at Barnsley Magistrates' Court to operating a waste transfer station without an environmental permit.
The court heard Environment Agency staff visited Beevor Street, Hoyle Mill, Barnsley, in August last year after receiving complaints.
Trevor Cooper, prosecuting for the Environment Agency, said there was a small amount of waste in a skip and Weldrick was told he would need a permit if he wanted to bring waste back to the site and sort it.
When environment officers returned to the site less than a month later, they saw large piles of mixed waste, including microwaves, TVs, building waste and empty paint cans. Mattresses and wood were among the waste contained in skips on the land.
Weldrick was again told he needed a permit and Mr Cooper said the Environment Agency wrote to the company explaining how to obtain a permit.
Environment Agency officers went back to the site in January and found large amounts of waste in skips and piled on the ground, including toys, electronic items, car batteries, paint cans, sofas and other furniture.
In interview Weldrick admitted he was responsible for running the company, which had been operating for about seven years, in addition to running another business, 1st 4 Skips, for about six months.
Weldrick, aged 62, of Lund Avenue, Burton Grange, Barnsley, and 1st 4 Builders Limited, of Cadet House, Racecommon Road, Barnsley, were each fined 5,000 and ordered to pay full prosecution costs of 2,911.40. Weldrick and his company also have to pay a victim surcharge of 15 each.
The court heard Weldrick had now applied for the necessary environmental permit.
Mr Cooper said the offences were deliberate and gave the business a financial advantage over its law-abiding competitors, having saved 3,800 in costs and charges.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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