Waste company crackdown听secures 拢28,500听for听charities
Waste companies that operate in Bristol, Cornwall and Devon investigated over waste regulations听and will pay 拢28,500 to environmental charities.
Gwella Contracting Services Ltd stored asbestos waste at their Exeter and Bristol branches
Three听South West-based waste companies have had to pay out large sums of money for environmental projects after听failing to听comply听with their legal obligations.听
The Environment Agency听investigated听Winfield听Transport听Limited, Ranjit Farming听and听Gwella听Contracting Services听Ltd听over听a failure to听comply听with听waste regulations.听
The听companies have agreed to invest in local projects in a sanction known听as听an enforcement undertaking.听An enforcement听undertaking听can听be used as an alternative to a prosecution听and allows听money to听go听directly to听good causes.听
In this case, three environmental organisations will听benefit听from听offers which together amount to听拢28,500.听
In agreeing to the sanctions, all three waste companies have put in place robust measures鈥痶o ensure full compliance with regulations in the future.听
Tim de Winton, Area Environment Manager, said:鈥��
Waste regulations are in place to protect people and the environment, and it is essential that all companies follow the rules.听
Improperly handled waste undermines legitimate businesses, poses a threat to the environment and harms local communities.听
Our enforcement action shows we are determined to ensure compliance with permits and waste legislation.听听And these sanctions enable meaningful investment in the environment.
Case one: Winfield Transport Limited
Winfield Transport Limited deposited waste at a site in Cornwall which was operating illegally
Winfield听Transport Limited听deposited waste听at听a site听in Cornwall听which was听operating听illegally.听
The landowner of the site听was prosecuted last year听after he ignored multiple warnings and formal notices.听
Over 10,000 tonnes of household,听demolition听and hazardous waste, including asbestos,听was听found听at the premises.听
Winfield Transport听was听a haulage company听and听was听responsible for听deposits of听waste听soils听and听stones听between July 2022 and February 2023.听听
By听depositing waste at the illegal site, the company avoided听an estimated 拢8,100听in waste disposal costs.听
Businesses听that handle waste听have听a legal Waste Duty of Care. This means that businesses听are responsible for听knowing where they听are sending their waste and taking steps to ensure that their waste is handled by legal sites.听
Winfield Transport agreed to pay 拢14,000 to The Woodland Trust and the Westcountry Rivers Trust.听
As part of the agreement, the company reviewed its听procedures听and provided refresher training to staff.听
Case two: Ranjit Farming
Ranjit Farming was investigated after receiving 2,700 tonnes of shillet at their farm
Ranjit Farming was investigated听after听receiving听2,700听tonnes of听shillet听(a听type of rock)听at听their听farm near Newton听Abbot听between听November 2022 and February 2023.听
While the听farm had听the听necessary听permission听to听re-use the听shillet,听it听failed to听comply with听tonnage limits with听these听permissions.听听
A permit is听required听for deposits of waste materials such as听shillet听to ensure the material is re-used听for听an听appropriate听way听and听in a听way听which听doesn鈥檛听impact听the听wider environment.听听
The company agreed to pay听拢6,000 to Devon Wildlife Trust.听
Ranjit Farming has听put in place enhanced record keeping听to keep听track of how much material has been delivered and when.听
Case听three:听Gwella听Contracting Services Ltd
Asbestos is a carefully controlled waste material because of the risk to human health
Gwella听Contracting Services听Ltd听stored asbestos waste at their Exeter and Bristol branches听in 2024听without holding a permit听for these sites.听
Asbestos is a carefully controlled waste material because of the risk to human health.听
The Woodland Trust will receive 拢8,500 from听Gwella听Contracting.听
The company agreed to听carry out a full audit of waste policy and听operations, and听provide environmental awareness training in company inductions.听
叠补肠办驳谤辞耻苍诲听
What is an enforcement undertaking (EU)?鈥��
An EU is available to the Environment Agency as an alternative sanction to prosecution or monetary penalty for dealing with certain environmental offences.鈥��
It is a鈥痩egally-binding鈥痸oluntary agreement proposed by a business (or an individual) when the EA has reasonable grounds to suspect that an environmental offence has occurred.鈥��
EUs for environmental offences were introduced under the Environmental Civil Sanctions (England) Order 2010 and the Environmental Civil Sanctions (Miscellaneous Amendments) (England) Regulations 2010.听
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Further details on the Enforcement Undertakings can be viewed here:听Enforcement undertakings accepted by the Environment Agency: 26 July 2024 to 12 February 2026 - 扒哥吃瓜听
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Last month, the government set out its new听Waste Crime Action Plan. Under the plans, the government will ramp up efforts to punish offenders.