Friday 27 May 2016

Ashford waste firm fined £25,000

The employees of a waste management company in Ashford have been fined a total of £25,419.

Green Box Recycling deposited and burned large quantities of waste wood illegally at Marlow Farm and Tanglewood sites, according to the Environment Agency.

The firm has permission to process waste, including waste wood, for sorting and treatment prior to being sent for lawful disposal or recycling elsewhere.

However Environment Agency officers inspected Marlow Farm and found controlled waste had been burnt.

Further investigations identified Green Box vehicles depositing waste wood, with their drivers either setting fire to the waste themselves or allowing others to do so.

Director Richard Monks has been ordered to pay more than £5,500 and £9,000 on costs.

Andrew Malyan, employed as a Green Box driver, was fined £6,689 while Robert Clark, a Farm Manager, was fined more than £4,000.

Environment Manager Alan Cansdale said: "Their actions showed blatant disregard for the environment. Waste crime can undermine legitimate businesses.

"In cases like this where illegal operations are connected with licensed businesses, we have no hesitation in prosecuting those involved as we want to make sure that waste crime doesn’t pay."