Business park owner fined for illegal waste operation

A Bristol businessman has been fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs for allowing a tenant to operate an illegal waste facility from one of his properties.

According to the Environment Agency, the site was mainly used to store fridges and freezers, although packaging materials such as plastic and cardboard were also burnt there.

Landlord Alan Dykes was issued with a warning letter stating that prosecution could follow if he continued to allow his premises to be used in this way. However, no reply was received.

Environment Agency spokesman Pete Hart commented: "These offences continued over a prolonged period of time with Dykes ignoring any advice we gave him and failing to take effective action to prevent his site being used for illegal waste activity."

In related news, two Middlesborough businessmen were fined earlier this month for running an illegal waste business through their skip hire firm.

Written by Joseph Hutton