Fines over building waste 'dumped' at village

The material had been excavated during the laying of foundations for buildings

Five organisations have been fined thousands of pounds after building waste was stockpiled at a rural village.

Materials including rock and dirt were moved from housing developments by lorries to Iken, Suffolk, between 2016 and 2018.

Five organisations pleaded guilty to charges involving mishandling of waste at Ipswich Crown Court.

£425,000 was ordered to be confiscated from Nicholls Ltd, trading as Tippers R Us, as profits of the crimes.

The court heard that between 16 May 2016 and 20 June 2018, a total of 126,000 tonnes of waste was deposited at two sites at Iken.

Public body East Suffolk Water Management Board had agreed for the material to be moved there as part of flood defences.

The board had agreed exemptions for waste to be used there but only 1,000 tonnes per site.

Three firms supplied building waste to Nicholls to transport there - Howard Construction (Anglia) Ltd, Barconn Ltd and Landex Ltd.

The Environment Agency brought the case against the organisations after it said it was told of "thousands of lorries moving waste along narrow roads in the village".

It said the material had been "dumped in the Suffolk countryside".

Sentencing judge Martyn Levett said East Suffolk Water Management Board and Nicholls Ltd had been "reckless" in not making sure they were not breaching regulations.

He said the three waste producers did not conduct adequate checks to ensure the waste was handled correctly.

Judge Levett said none of the organisations had tried to conceal any evidence.

The charges the organisations pleaded guilty to and fines handed out were as follows:

• East Suffolk Water Management Board: Four charges of conduct/cause/knowingly permit activity in contravention of environmental permit. Fined £4,000 and ordered to pay costs of £15,500

• Nicholls Ltd, trading as Tippers R Us: Two charges of deposit without an environmental permit controlled/extractive waste in/on land. Fined £66,666 and ordered to pay costs of £62,000

• Howard Construction (Anglia) Ltd: Failure to comply with duty of care in respect of waste. Fined £18,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,750

• Barconn Ltd: Handling controlled waste without taking reasonable measures. Fined £14,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,500

• Landex Ltd: Handling controlled waste without taking reasonable measures. Fined £8,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,500

The building material was dropped at two sites in the small village of Iken

Lesley Robertson, the enforcement team leader for the Environment Agency, which led the investigation, said: "We won't hesitate to prosecute those responsible for illegal waste activities.

"Waste was imported on a huge scale over a long period without the benefit of appropriate permits meant to protect the public and the environment.

"It was crystal clear from the Environment Agency's investigation that all five should have known the rules on the management of waste.

"They were experienced operators in the construction and waste industries."