A wood recycling company has been fined £3,000 and ordered to pay £3,000 costs for allowing wood dust to escape from its yard.
Larner Pallets (Recycling) Ltd admitted breaching the Environmental Protection Act 1990 at Wellingborough Magistrates' Court. The company chipped waste wood at its site in Finedon Road Industrial Estate, where neighbouring businesses complained the dust was so heavy it looked like falling snow. Others said they could taste it in the air, and it caused sneezing, pain and irritation to eyes.
Mrs Miriam Tordoff, prosecuting for the Environment Agency, told the court that in June 2010 the company had said they would erect a building to overcome the dust problem. However, planning permission for such a building was only granted in March 2012, and has not been built. Even when a dust suppression system was on-site, there were several occasions when work was seen to be on-going without the equipment being used.
There had been a history of dust complaints at the site, resulting in abatement notices being served in 2003 and 2004, neither of which were complied with. Further complaints were received in 2005 and 2007, and when a final one was made in 2009, the matter was handed over to the Environment Agency. As recently as February 2012, there were sights of dust billowing in the air as a lorry was being loaded with wood chip.
After the hearing, Environment Agency officer John Jones commented, "This prosecution was entirely avoidable and only started when it was apparent that continued advice and guidance was being ignored. Where such advice is continually ignored to the detriment of the public and surrounding businesses, we will prosecute to bring offenders into compliance."
