'Take gold dust to landfill' council tells jeweller

A jeweller based in Torquay in Devon has said that his local council threatened to fine him unless he produced documentation proving how he disposes of his gold dust.

John Doble, owner of Doble Jewellers, said that for the first time ever, he was also warned that he would have to dispose of the dust at a landfill site.

The jeweller accumulates up to £1,000 worth of gold dust a year, which he then sells on to dealers.

However, authorities began to ask him for proof of this or risk a fine of £5,000.

Mr Doble commented: "We vacuum all the gold dust, bag it up and once a year get back about £1,000."

After the jeweller agreed to provide the necessary documentation relating to this transaction, the council agreed that the issue was resolved.

In other industrial health and safety compliance news, Denso Manufacturing Midlands was fined £28,000 this week after carbon dioxide leaked into one of its working areas.