Waste removal business owner prosecuted for burning rubbish

A businessman, who runs a waste removal business, has been fined and ordered to pay costs totalling more than £850 after persistently burning rubbish collected from local residents.

Andrew Paterson, owner of A1 Rubbish Removals Ltd, pleaded guilty on Tuesday 3 October at Peterlee Magistrates Court to an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 of disposing of controlled waste in a manner likely to cause pollution to the environment or harm human health

Since June 2021, the council’s environmental health department has received complaints from residents about smoke coming from a field behind Whessoe Villa in Burtree Lane, often at night.

Council officers visited the farm on three occasions with colleagues from the Environment Agency and gave advice to Mr Paterson on the appropriate disposal of waste. 

A coordinated inspection of the farm was made with in February with officers from the council, Environment Agency and Police in attendance.

During this visit it was discovered that a large pit had been dug in the paddock behind the farmhouse. There were piles of ash around the pit, the charred remains of several mattresses in the bottom of the hole and smoke was still rising. There were also mattresses in a A1 Rubbish Removal van next to the paddock entrance.

Mr Patterson was fined £649 and ordered to pay £150 costs and a £64 victim surcharge.

Chris McEwan, cabinet member for economy said: “The legislation around waste disposal is vital to protect the environmental from air, water, and soil pollution. In this instance, because Mr Patterson runs a business that charges residents to dispose of their rubbish, his flouting of the rules around waste disposal is even more shocking.

I urge anyone wanting to get rid of large amounts of rubbish to check any company they hire has a waste transfer. Alternatively you can take rubbish to the tip or use our bulky waste collection service.”

This case refers to A1 Rubbish Removals Ltd owned by Andrew Paterson and does not relate to other businesses with a similar/same name.