A WASTE company in Oswaldtwistle has been ordered to pay more than £10,000 after admitting operating illegally.

Mark A Taylor Organisation Ltd pleaded guilty to operating a waste facility without a valid environmental permit, and was ordered to pay a £5,000 fine, £4,146 in costs, and a victim surcharge by magistrates at Hyndburn Magistrates Court.

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The company’s illegal behaviour came to light after several complaints about fires at the Joseph Metcalfe site at Brookside Industrial Estate in the town.

The site had been home to a fertiliser business regulated by the Environment Agency, and was bought by William Sinclair Plc in 2008. The factory was demolished by Mark A Taylor Organisation Ltd, a local business which describes itself as a demolition, dismantling and site clearance contractor.

During numerous site inspections by the Environment Agency, a picture emerged of the operation of an forbidden waste facility.

Andrew Evason, lead investigating officer for the Environment Agency, said: “The Environment Agency is clamping down on businesses who are bad neighbours.

“The case sends a strong message that the Environment Agency will not hesitate to take action where companies are operating without the correct permits in place.”

“In this case, The court has taken into account the risk of harm to the local environment and human health arising from uncontrolled burning of waste. We urge anyone affected by an environmental incident to report it to our 24 hotline 0800 80 70 60.”

The sentence took into account the history of non-compliance with warnings given by the Environment Agency, offending over an extended period of time, unfair competition with legitimate business and a risk of harm to the environment and human health arising from uncontrolled burning of waste. The court took into account mitigation offered by the defendant that it had assisted agency officers in an investigation into offences at a neighbouring site.

The court found that the offence had been committed deliberately and that there had been a risk of harm being caused to the environment or human health. The company was given a one third reduction in the sentence for an early guilty plea.