Environment Agency | A Birmingham skip hire company must pay financial penalties of more than £48,000 after the Environment Agency brought a prosecution for operating illegally.
At Birmingham magistrates’ court, Action Skip Hire Limited of Trent Street, Digbeth, were found guilty of two offences and admitted another. The offences fell under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011, and the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.
The court imposed a fine of £12,000 for operating a regulated facility in Oxford Street, Birmingham, without the necessary environmental permit. They were also ordered to pay a surcharge of £190 and costs of £26,376.58.
The company was fined a further £6,000 for failing to comply with a Notice to provide waste transfer notes. They were ordered to pay a £2,000 surcharge and costs of £1,522.38.
The court was told that the company held an environmental permit for a waste site at Trent Street, Digbeth. However, not for land off Oxford Street where the company illegally stored and processed wastes.
Officers from the Environment Agency visited the Oxford Street site on 10 August 2023 following reports of waste activity taking place.
Investigations found the site was storing mixed general and construction and demolition wastes including trommel fines, tyres, mattresses, and wood.
Further investigations revealed that the land was leased to Action Skip Hire Limited. Inspections by Environment Agency Officers during September and October of 2023 showed that the Oxford Street site was still being used for waste activities.
This resulted in the Environment Agency serving a Section 59 (1) (a) Enforcement Notice on 20 November 2023 requiring the company to remove waste from the land. The notice was not complied with.
Further visits were carried out throughout 2024 which found wastes remaining on the site.
