A careless driver who failed to drop contaminated metal into a container has landed a waste firm with a £35,000 fine.
Magistrates heard that a white liquid seeped from the heap of metal turnings, which were left on the ground at an Ilkeston site.
Sheila Lodhi, for the Environment Agency, said the metal was contaminated with oil and should have been put in a sealed container under the terms of the waste management licence at the plant. She stated, "The liquid should not be allowed to go into drainage systems. It contains hazardous contaminants which can be an irritant to eyes and skin. But there is no evidence that it did enter the surface water system or that there was an environmental impact."
The firm admitted failing to store contaminated metal in a container and failing to prevent contamination. Andrew Cochrane, for the firm, said there had been room in the container, but the driver failed to wait for the metal turnings to be removed by magnet and dropped into it. He accepted the driver, "Dumped it beside the sealed container rather than waiting to put in. Perhaps the driver was anxious to get away."
Mr Cochrane added, "Waste management is a very complex matter and there are a huge amount of regulations."
