Press release: Man who dumped chemical barrels caught out by GPS in hire van

A man was caught out after GPS data was seized from the rental van he had used to illegally dump waste and he has now been sentenced at Nottingham Magistrates Court.

Kirk McRoberts, of Waterloo Promenade in Nottingham, pleaded guilty on Tuesday 19 September and was fined £900. He was also ordered to contribute £500 towards the cost of prosecution and had to pay a £45 government surcharge.

McRoberts was charged with illegally depositing waste in Long Eaton in Derbyshire and Cossall in Nottinghamshire. The judge described the illegal deposit of the waste as “a scourge” and remarked that these offences were serious.

The judge gave McRoberts full credit for his early guilty plea and noted that he had no previous convictions for breaches of environmental legislation.

Between 4 and 7 April 2016, McRoberts deposited twenty-three barrels filled with adhesive at Lock Lane in Long Eaton and at Cossall Road in Cossall. Running a firm called ‘No Need for a Skip Ltd’, McRoberts used a hired vehicle which was fitted with a GPS tracker. Data recorded by the GPS tracker clearly shows the van stopping at both locations. CCTV footage from one of the sites also showed the barrels being dumped.

The company that hired Mr McRoberts to remove the waste has been issued with a warning for not making the necessary checks as to where the waste would be going and that the company used was registered as a waste carrier.

The Environment Agency estimates that McRoberts avoided costs of around £900 by disposing of the waste illegally.

Commenting, Peter Haslock, enforcement team leader with the Environment Agency said:

The acts of illegal waste carriers like McRoberts can have seriously damaging effects on the environment. They also undermine legitimate businesses operating within the confines of the law.

We will continue to work tirelessly to bring those responsible for illegal waste dumping to justice. We’d also like to remind people to check their waste carrier is licensed by the Environment Agency. You are required by law to make sure your waste goes to a site licenced to take it, and could end up with a hefty fine if you fail to do so.