A WASTE disposal company has been fined almost £56,000 for dumping ‘potentially harmful’ waste down drains.

David Rodrigues, director of A and D Drains Services Limited, Longridge, was sentenced after pleading guilty to four charges of illegally disposing liquid waste and another four for creating false paperwork to cover up its actions between 2008 and 2009.

The Environment Agency said that it had carried out an investigation and found 269 separate illegal liquid disposals that could ‘cause harm to the environment and human health’.

The company, which accepts business in Blackburn, Burnley, Nelson and Colne, was paid and trusted by its customers to dispose of waste liquids lawfully, but instead put the waste down the drain systems, of which could have caused the sewers to collapse.

United Utilities flagged up a potential problem to the Environment Agency and it also received complaints from residents.

On Monday, during the first prosecution of its type in the north west, the court imposed a £15,900 confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act and Mr Rodriguez was ordered to pay combined fines of £40,000 which included £22,500 costs to the Environment Agency.

Jennie Frieze, prosecuting for the Environment Agency, said: “The liquids disposed of included wastes from septic tanks, petrol stations (hazardous waste) and industrial sites and like all unlawful disposals of waste, has the potential to cause harm to the environment and human health.

“The message from this prosecution is clear - the Environment Agency is able to trace waste criminals and put an end to their unlawful operations.

“The scale of the illegal activity in this case was unprecedented.”