Rita
Penman - 30-Jul-2008 - Waste operator A
Riddel and Sons has been fined a total of
£25,000 and ordered to pay full Environment
Agency costs of £3,560 for running
an illegal waste site on land at a disused
railway line at Firsby near Spilsby, Lincolnshire.
Andrew Riddel, director
of the company, bought the land in February
2007 and by April, activities there had
come to the attention of the Environment
Agency which today (Wed) brought the prosecution
at Skegness Magistrates’ Court.
The court was told that
Riddel has operated in the waste industry
for many years and knows it is an offence
to run a waste site without a licence and
also that it is illegal to import waste
and dispose of waste by burning it, which
is what was happening at the Firsby site.
He is the holder of two licences for other
sites.
Illegal operations at
the site carried on between April and October
last year despite several visits by Environment
Agency officers. On one occasion they watched
what was happening from a distance and witnessed
a skip lorry making two trips early in the
morning, tipping its contents onto the ground
each time.
Among waste found at
the site during the investigation was a
large container filled with waste metals
, including a caravan chassis, old kitchen
worktops, old furniture, books, domestic
rubbish pieces of metal.
Kieran Martyn prosecuting
said the officers saw evidence of waste
having been burned and the ash spread with
hardcore to make a hard standing area. No
planning permission had been given or surveys
carried out to assess the environmental
impact of this work.
The site was also used
for processing waste telegraph poles which
were cut into sections to be sold. The off-cuts
had been burnt with any metal components
separated from the ash for scrap.
‘Without proper planning
controls Riddel had hedges and trees ripped
out and smothered the surface of the land
with hardcore. No consideration was given
to the impact this caused to the fauna or
flora on the site,’ said Mr Martyn.
He explained that wood
based waste, including timber treated with
preservative chemicals and processed wood
products such as chipboard containing resins,
glues and other chemicals had been burnt
at the site potentially releasing toxic
fumes and particles into the air.
Mr Martyn told the court
that the activities carried out at the site
were not licensed and would not have qualified
for an exemption either. He said the use
of the Firsby site had been motivated by
the prospect of saving money as the company
was not having to pay to transport the waste
to a proper site where they would have to
pay for its disposal.
After the hearing Environment
Agency officer Christian Martin said: ‘The
Environment Agency regards the illegal disposal
of waste as a serious issue which will not
be tolerated. Lawful waste management is
essential to minimise its effect on the
environment. This case is a clear example
of environmental laws being blatantly ignored.’
A Riddel and Sons Scrap
Metal and Skip Hire Ltd pleaded guilty to:
1. On 20 April 2007
on land known as the old railway line, North
of Firsby, Lincs you did keep a quantity
of controlled waste namely cardboard, furniture,
metal, glass windows and domestic waste
when there was not in force a Waste Management
Licence granted by the enforcing authority
pursuant to sections 35 and 36 of the Environmental
Protection Act 11000 authorising the said
keeping. Contrary to s33(1) (b) and s33(6)
Environmental Protection Act 11000. Fined
£5,000
2. Between 20 April
and 27th April 2007 on land known as the
old railway line, North of Firsby, you did
dispose of a quantity of controlled waste
by burning when there was not in force a
Waste Management Licence granted by the
enforcing authority pursuant to sections
35 and 36 of the Environmental Protection
Act 11000 authorising the said burning.
Contrary to s33(1) (b) and s33(6) Environmental
Protection Act 11000. Fined £5,000
4. Between 9 August
2007 and 24 August 2007 on land known as
the old railway line, North of Firsby, you
did keep and treat a quantity of controlled
waste which included wood, plywood, cardboard,
plastic, fabrics, kitchen worktops and telegraph
poles when there was not in force a Waste
Management Licence granted by the enforcing
authority pursuant to sections 35 and 36
of the Environmental Protection Act 11000
authorising the said keeping and treating.
Contrary to s33(1) (b) and s33(6) Environmental
Protection Act 11000. Fined £5,000
5. On 24 August 2007
on land known as the old railway line, North
of Firsby, you did deposit a quantity of
controlled waste namely paper, books, tree
cuttings, treated and untreated timber,
chipboard, MDF and plywood when there was
not in force a Waste Management Licence
granted by the enforcing authority pursuant
to sections 35 and 36 of the Environmental
Protection Act 11000 authorising the said
deposit. Contrary to s33(1) (a) and s33(6)
Environmental Protection Act 11000. Fined
£5,000
6. Between 24 August
2007 and 22 October 2007 on land known as
the old railway line, North of Firsby, you
did keep and treat a quantity of controlled
waste which included wood, plywood, cardboard,
plastic, fabrics, garden waste, metal and
telegraph poles when there was not in force
a Waste Management Licence granted by the
enforcing authority pursuant to sections
35 and 36 of the Environmental Protection
Act 11000 authorising the said keeping and
treating. Contrary to s33(1) (b) and s33(6)
Environmental Protection Act 11000. Fined
£5,000
+ More
Environment Agency water
safety warning
Rita Penman - 29-Jul-2008
- The Environment Agency is urging youngsters
planning to go fishing, cycling or simply
hanging out with friends down by their local
river over the summer holidays to be aware
of the dangers posed by fast-currents, weirs
and locks, cold water, and unstable riverbanks.
Irven Forbes, an Environment
Agency’s Waterways Manager, said: ‘Water
claims the lives of more than 50 children
a year in the UK. In fact, drowning is the
third most common accidental death among
Britain’s under 16s, behind road accidents
and house fires.
‘We have worked hard
to raise awareness among young people about
the dangers of swimming in rivers through
campaigns such as ‘Don’t Go In’. We also
linked up with the Royal Society for the
Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) to produce
the popular teaching pack ‘R U A Dummy 2?’
to help adults educate youngsters about
the risks and promote the water safety message.
‘However, the statistics
show that there is still work to do to get
the message across that the hazards are
often hidden, and underestimating the dangers
of water can have tragic consequences.’
More than half of all
drownings occur in our rivers, canals, lakes
and pools every year. The latest figures
show 179 people drowned in inland waters
in 2005.
Irven Forbes said the
Environment Agency was reminding people
of all ages to stay safe around water with
10 top tips:
10 top tips for staying
safe around water
Don’t jump or dive into
rivers as the depth is uncertain and there
can be unseen and dangerous things in the
water.
Be aware of the danger
of strong currents and don’t go into water
near things like weirs, locks, pipes and
sluices.
Take notice of any safety
information, warning signs or flags. Know
what the signs mean and do as they advise.
Realise that water can
be very cold no matter what time of year.
Those going into cold water can very quickly
experience difficulties in swimming and
develop cramp and breathing difficulties.
Keep away from the rivers
edge and closely supervise young children
when near any water. Drowning can occur
very quickly and even in shallow water.
Wear the recommended
safety equipment for your activity, such
as life jackets and helmets.
Be warned of the dangers
of using airbeds, inner tubes and other
floatation devices. They can be easily carried
or blown into deep water and may not keep
you afloat.
Consuming alcohol may impair your ability
and judgment when on or in water.
Get trained in life
saving and resuscitation techniques and
know what to do in an emergency.
Teach children to swim
and not to go into water alone, or unsupervised.
Always ensure someone knows where you are
and what you’re doing.
What to do if you see
someone in difficulties
Get help: ring 999 or
get someone else to do it. Alternatively
if you are on your own without a mobile
phone, call for help if you can see people
are nearby, or go and get help.
Think: of your own safety first. Don’t put
yourself in danger by going into the water
to rescue someone – you may get in trouble
in the water too.
Reach: a stick, scarf or clothes tied together
can help you reach the person. Crouch or
lie down to avoid being pulled into the
water yourself, or
Throw: a rope is best because you can then
pull the person in. If you don’t have any
rope, throwing something in that will float,
such as a ball, a plastic bottle or a lifebuoy,
will assist in keeping the person afloat
until help arrives.
The Environment Agency
manages some 1,000km of navigable inland
waterway across England and Wales and issues
safety advice as part of its role to encourage
everyone to enjoy these rivers as well as
coastal waters wisely. It is also one of
several leading organisations that make
up the National Water Safety Forum, which
seeks to provide a concerted voice on water
safety matters.
Check out our interactive
CD on the web at www.watersafetykids.co.uk
You can also read and download the R U A
Dummy 2? pack and video at http://www.rospa.com/ruadummy2/index.htm
•Children and teachers can also find out
more on www.wow4water.net/ and www.getsafe4summer.org
+ More
Environment Agency water
safety warning
Paul Gainey - 28-Jul-2008
- The Environment Agency is urging young
people planning to go swimming, fishing,
cycling or simply hanging out with friends
down by their local river over the summer
holidays to be aware of the dangers posed
by fast-currents, cold water, structures
such as weirs and locks, and unstable riverbanks.
The Agency in partnership
with the Royal Society for the Prevention
of Accidents (ROSPA) has produced a ‘Be
Safe around water’ leaflet designed to be
sent to both primary and secondary schools
throughout the region.
Nick Gupta, Wessex Area
Manager for the Environment Agency, said:
‘Each year around 50 children under the
age of 16 drown. It is the third most common
cause of accidental death amongst young
people.’
In June this year, 18-year-old
Jonathan Morton drowned in a tragic accident
in the Hampshire Avon river at Downton.
‘Jonathan’s death is
a reminder of the dangers that swimming
in rivers or the sea may present. Now that
the school holidays are with us children
need to be especially aware of the risks,’
added Nick Gupta.
The leaflet was sent
as a pdf file to the education departments
of Somerset, Gloucestershire, Hampshire,
Wiltshire, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall county
councils, who then used their own web-based
systems to cascade the message to all their
local schools.
The Environment Agency
promotes the use of water for recreation
purposes and also wants to warn of the dangers.
Water may look safe,
but it can be dangerous. Young people may
swim well in a warm indoor pool, but that
does not mean that they will be able to
swim in cold water.
Wild or outdoor swimming
has been in the news over the last few weeks
with young people being encouraged to splash
about in some of Britain’s most watery and
hidden beauty spots. But this pursuit can
be dangerous.
The dangers of water
include:
The speed of many rivers
and sea currents are often well beyond the
ability of even the strongest swimmers to
cope with safely
Unseen underwater obstructions
exist in many places. These can include
submerged pipe outfalls and discarded items
such as shopping trolleys.
Other hazards such as
broken glass and metal that have been illegally
dumped can cut and injure. Weeds can also
trap the unwary swimmer.
Weirs, locks, piers
and other structures demand extra care from
users and visitors.
Young people may be
able to help themselves and others if they
know what to do in an emergency. If they
see someone in difficulty, they are urged
to tell somebody, preferably a Lifeguard,
or go to the nearest telephone, dial 999,
ask for the Police at inland water sites
and the Coastguard at the beach.
Other tips on the leaflet
include:
Don’t jump or dive into
rivers or open water where the depth is
uncertain. If you can not see the bottom
it may just be that the water is not clear.
Be aware of the dangers
of structures
Be prepared for cold
water or changes in weather
Make sure you are supervised
by an adult
Don’t swim where there
may be strong currents and undertows
The Environment Agency
manages inland waterways across England
and Wales and issues safety advice as part
of its role to encourage everyone to enjoy
these rivers as well as coastal waters wisely.
The message is clear: Please take care when
in, on and around water.
