Environment Agency sends out warning to failing waste operators

14 Sep 2015 10:11 AM

Regulatory appeal highlights the need for firms to operate within the law

A Gateshead company has failed in its bid to continue to operate three waste sites after the Environment Agency revoked its environmental permits.

J & J Stanley Ltd, based in Cowen Road, had three of its permits revoked last November and the final one in January 2015 by the Environment Agency, which took the unusual step following frequent breaches.

The operator appealed this decision but the Planning Inspector has dismissed the appeals on three of the permits, finding there had been a history of non-compliance and that interventions had to be made to ensure ‘unacceptable’ breaches were dealt with.

The final appeal for the Cowen Road waste transfer station was allowed by the Inspector after the firm made a ‘marked improvement’ in compliance after the Environment Agency served the revocation notices.

Environment Agency regulatory specialist Carla Metcalf said the decision is a warning to waste operators who continually fail to comply with their permit. She said:

Persistent non-compliance is unacceptable and we will come down forcefully on those companies who choose to operate outside the law and therefore put people and the environment at risk.

Badly-run waste sites are a major nuisance to the local community due to pollution, odour problems and flies. We want to send out a clear message that this will not be tolerated and we will review all of your permits.

J & J Stanley Ltd had permits for a waste transfer station and a metal recycling facility in Longrigg Road, Swalwell, a waste transfer station in Cowen Road, Blaydon and for a scrap metal facility in Factory Road, Blaydon.

During the appeal hearing, which took place at the end of August, the Environment Agency was supported in its case by Gateshead Environmental Health.

The Planning Inspectorate heard that the breaches included the failure to contain potential pollution on site and failure to make sure waste was secured.

Waste crime – such as dumping large amounts of waste illegally, running a waste site without the right permits or not following the rules of a permit – diverts up to £1 billion from legitimate businesses each year.

The Environment Agency works closely with partner organisations to target waste crime, which blights communities and causes pollution.

Anyone who has information about waste crimes can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.