Worcester News, Worcester Sport, Worcester Leisure - From The Worcester News

Firm fined on waste fire

From the archive, first published Thursday 26th Aug 2004.

THE failure to prevent a fire at the Hill and Moor landfill site has cost Severn Waste Services more than £20,000 in fines and costs.

The operators of the firm near Pershore pleaded guilty at Worcester Magistrates Court on Tuesday to a charge of failing to keep waste in a manner likely to avoid pollution of the environment or harm to human health. The Environment Agency brought the charge after a fire in the composting area on October 1 last year involving 1000 tons of waste caused a column of smoke 200m high and took 23 days to put out.

It was found that the company failed to assess the risk or monitor the heat of moisture content inside the piles of composting waste and was fined £18,000 and ordered to pay £2,966 in costs.

Summing up the magistrates highlighted that the incident caused widespread discomfort and inconvenience to residents and noted that the company should have foreseen the risk of fire, given that there had been a similar fire of composted waste just three weeks before on September 7.

Speaking after the case, Sam Clink, an environment officer, said: "Fires in the composting areas of landfills can be very serious hazards. Their continuous burning of the acrid smoke can affect the quality of life of those living near them. "

Jim Haywood, Severn Waste's financial director said: "Since the fire the company has reviewed its operating procedures and in conjunction with the Environment Agency and the fire services amended the working plan for the composting operation."

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