March 1, 2018 12.25 pm This story is over 72 months old

Ingoldmells caravan site fined over illegal waste fire

Illegal waste burning.

Seaside Leisure Parks Ltd has been ordered to pay over £8,500 for illegal waste fire at its Ingoldmells site. Photo: Environment Agency.

Seaside Leisure Parks Ltd has been ordered to pay over £8,500 for illegal waste fire at its Ingoldmells site.

The company that has five parks in the county was convicted at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court for burning a waste pile consisting of mattresses, sofas, plastic chairs and more on July 4, 2017.

Evidence of previous waste fires were also found on site.  When Environmental Agency (EA) attended the incident in July acrid smoke was seen from the fire blowing across the caravan site, with the nearest caravan being only 25 metres away.

Appropriate action was not taken to remove the waste for another month after the fire and the company avoided costs of approximately £2,000 by not paying for legal disposure of the waste.

Seaside Leisure Parks Ltd were ordered to pay a £5,000 fine and an additional £3,496.50 in costs and a victim surcharge of £170.

The company had previously been warned for the same type of offending in two letters from the EA in 2010 and at interview admitted that the waste costs formed a considerable part of their running costs.

EA Enforcement team leader Mark Rumble said: “Businesses have a legal duty to dispose of their waste correctly.  This duty is in place to protect communities and the environment from pollution.

“By burning waste illegally on site, Seaside Leisure Parks Ltd put people and wildlife at risk in the interest of financial gain.  We hope this verdict demonstrates to other businesses the importance of complying with environmental laws.   We will take action against those who do not comply.”