Canterbury waste criminals fined £6,320 for illegal wood disposal

28 Oct 2016 11:52 AM

An employee of a Faversham based waste management business and a landowner made to pay £6,320 for the illegal disposal of waste wood.

An employee of a Faversham based waste management business and a landowner have been made to pay £6,320 for the illegal disposal of waste wood at Woodside House in Canterbury.

Ky Campion was fined £2,150 with £750 costs after pleading guilty to depositing waste wood without an environmental permit at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on 26 October 2016. Mr Campion is a Director of East Kent Recycling Ltd but pleaded guilty in a personal capacity.

In addition, landowner Luke Lockhart pleaded guilty to causing or permitting the operation of a regulated facility without an environmental permit and was fined £2,670 with £750 costs.

The Environment Agency received complaints of burning waste at the site in March and April 2013. In December 2013, the Environment Agency sent advice and guidance letters to Luke Lockhart after witnessing an East Kent Recycling Ltd vehicle depositing its contents onto a burning fire at Woodside House, a non-permitted site. Reports of burning waste continued and in April and May 2014 Environment Officers observed more waste being deposited at the site by an East Kent Recycling Ltd vehicle.

Alan Cansdale, Environment Manager said:

Ky Campion and Luke Lockhart’s actions showed a blatant disregard for the environment. The fires also impacted on the busy A2 and could have resulted in disastrous consequences for road users.

In cases like this, where the actions of individuals threaten to undermine legitimate businesses, we have no hesitation in prosecuting those involved. We want to ensure that the right waste gets to the right place.