Alexandra Wales - 29-Aug-2007
- The Environment Agency is warning Kirklees
residents that anyone scrapping a car or
other vehicle should make sure they pass
the vehicle to an operator licensed to deal
with ‘end of life’ vehicles.
The illegal disposal of cars by unlicensed
scrap yards can lead to all sorts of pollution
problems, including flytipping and the contamination
of land, rivers and streams with oil and
other substances.
Both individuals and businesses have a
legal duty of care to check that scrap vehicles
and other waste are dealt with by a licensed
operator.
In the case of scrap cars, the Environment
Agency holds a register of authorised disposal
sites and regularly prosecute those rogue
operators who stay outside the law. The
register can be checked by postcode to find
your nearest authorised site at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/publicregisters
Illegal sites often hope to make money
by cashing in on the high price of scrap
metal and ignoring the regulations. The
maximum penalties for site operators can
run to a fine of £50,000 and/or five
years in prison.
Mark West, Environment Agency team leader,
explains how the public can help: “All people
have to do is check that anyone offering
to scrap their cars is licensed. Unlicensed
scrap operators can cause a lot of damage
to the environment, and anyone asking the
right questions can make rogue operators’
life that bit more difficult.
“We will not hesitate to prosecute those
we find operating illegally, and help from
the public can make a lot of difference.
“Anyone who believes that a scrap yard
is operating illegally and causing pollution
can help us by giving the Environment Agency
a call on 0800 80 70 60.”
+ More
Environment Agency holds North Derbyshire
flood drop-ins
Francesca Glyn-Jones - 29-Aug-2007 - Staff
from the Environment Agency will be talking
to residents in Chesterfield and Dronfield
next week who were affected by the recent
flooding.
The team, based in Leeds, is holding drop-in
sessions on:
• Thursday, 6 September at the IBIS Hotel,
Lordsmill Street, Chesterfield;
• Friday, 7 September at The Sandpiper Hotel
& Restaurant, Sheffield Road, Whittington,
Dronfield.
All sessions will start at 3pm and run
until 7pm.
The aim is to give residents an opportunity
to learn more about the flooding, and for
officers to gather information about how
the flooding affected specific areas.
The meetings are part of a series of drop-ins
which are being organised by the Environment
Agency.
Area flood risk manager Peter Holmes said:
“This is an opportunity for us to explain
our initial findings to residents about
the flooding in their area, what we have
been doing since the flooding and what the
plans are for the future.
“We also want people to tell us how the
flooding affected different homes and streets
because the more we know, the more we can
do to find ways of protecting them. We are
also urging residents to come along with
photographs, and any other documentation
which we can use to plot the path and the
times of the flooding more specifically.”
Around 67 millimetres of rain fell in Chesterfield
on Monday, June 25, and around 54 millimetres
of this fell within 12 hours.
His team expects to hold more than 20 drop-in
sessions across east, South and West Yorkshire,
and North Derbyshire, and will be letting
people know when and where these will be
held in the next few weeks.
The Environment Agency is responsible for
flood protection from main rivers and designated
smaller watercourses.
It also issues flood warnings and watches
to people in certain flood risk areas who
have signed up to receive the service.
The Environment Agency has gauges on many
main rivers across Yorkshire which helps
officers to monitor water levels and the
likelihood of flooding.
To find out whether you are eligible for
a flood warning contact our Floodline number
on 0845 988 1188.
