Harnaik Singh Sandhu, trading as the Fascia Company, was last month fined £2,250 and ordered to pay costs of £1,770.30 for the deposit of asbestos waste and failure to provide information to the Environment Agency about the movement of such waste - reports the Environment Agency.
The charges were brought by the Environment Agency under Sections 33 and 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
For the Environment Agency, Kiran Cassini told the court that on 5 April 2005 an Environment Agency officer visited the premises of the Fascia Company. He had received reports of the company taking materials containing asbestos back to the site.
The officer found red sacks marked Asbestos Waste in a building on site. Pieces of cement-bonded asbestos were seen poking out of holes they had torn in the bags’ plastic.
The officer explained to a company employee and Mr Sandhu that asbestos should not be on the site. Further inspection of the premises resulted in clear bags marked Asbestos Waste being found. These contained pieces of cement-bonded asbestos with visibly fibrous edges.
On 8 April 2005 the Environment Agency officer wrote to Mr Sandhu, requesting documentation required to show the correct movements of asbestos to and from the Fascia Company since 1 October 2004. No documents were received by the Environment Agency by the 19 April 2005.
On 26 April, Mr Sandhu told the Environment Agency that the asbestos had been removed by an asbestos removal company. Investigations indicated that three loads had been removed on 2 February 2005, 1 March 2005 and 4 May 2005 - therefore, asbestos had been accepted at the Fascia Company for a least two months before the visit by the Environment Agency officer.
In mitigation, the Court were told that Mr Sandhu deeply regretted the incident and that systems were in pace to prevent asbestos waste being brought back to the site. However, Mr Sandhu was on holiday at the time the incident occurred and he was not aware until an Environment Agency officer brought the matter to his attention.
When passing sentence, Mr Sandu was given credit for his guilty plea and it was acknowledged that he has co-operated fully with the Environment Agency from the date of the incident. However, the court did state that they took a very serious view when asbestos waste was involved. Although a system was in place this was not sufficient to prevent the offence from occurring.
Speaking after the case, Gareth Thomas, an Environment Agency officer involved in the investigation, said:
“There are strict laws concerning the storage and handling of all waste and those covering asbestos are particularly stringent. Mr Sandhu’s behaviour was negligent - it was his duty to ensure his company met this responsibility at all times.â€Â?
Start Your Enquiry
Fill Out This Simple Form
“MDHS
Methods for the Determination of
Hazardous Substances”...
“3D
House Plan of Typical Locations Containing
Asbestos Materials”...
“Asbestos
Guidance for
Safety Representative”...
Take advantage of our expertise
and our
FREE NO OBLIGATION
Asbestos Survey Quotation.
Get in touch today - Call Head Office
01926 434444
or email Midland Asbestos Surveys Services
