Cumbrian Man Punished For Waste Offences

Whitehaven Magistrates imposed a 240 hour community punishment and 350 pounds costs on a man found guilty of breaches of Waste regulations. Stuart Cowman illegally collected waste tyres on industrial land and ignored warnings from the environment Agency to clear the illegal waste. Cowman failed to take any steps to remedy the situation, and on a date after March 2001 his business left the site – leaving the tyres behind.

Cowman attended an interview with Environment Agency officers at which he admitted depositing the tyres. He also admitted he had been advised by Agency officers of the illegality of his operation. The court heard that the defendant had three verbal warnings, one formal notice and three written warnings, and that he had ample opportunity to remedy the situation.

He made profits of up to 7,200 pounds by taking in the tyres, and left the landowner with clean-up costs estimated at up to 10,000 pounds. The tyres remain on the site and the Agency is now negotiating with the landowner to decide the best way of removing them and cleaning up the land..