Company prosecuted for dumping waste at Bidford Sewage Works - The Stratford Observer

Company prosecuted for dumping waste at Bidford Sewage Works

Stratford Editorial 13th Sep, 2017 Updated: 13th Sep, 2017   0

A ROAD-sweeping company has been prosecuted for dumping waste onto land at Bidford Sewage Treatment Works.

Stratford District Council successfully prosecuted Olbury-based Oakham Sweepers Limited, with company director Michelle Hollingworth pleading guilty to three charges of illegally dumping controlled waste.

Leamington Magistrates Court heard how the council were contacted by Severn Trent following a series of illegal fly-tipping incidents.

A CCTV camera on the site captured images of the same vehicle on several occasions and once they were seen to be pouring liquid waste down a track leading to the Sewage Treatment Works.




Photographs and videos showed a company employee backing up the vehicle and depositing the waste which then dried, causing a hazard and clean-up costs to be incurred. The liquid waste was contaminated with heavy metals and pollutants such as diesel, oil, tarmac and rubber and may have run into a watercourse at the bottom of the track.

The company was originally fined £9,000 but this was reduced due to the early guilty plea and a fine of £6,000 was imposed. The Council was also awarded costs of more than £2,000.


Spokesman for community services Coun Mike Brain said: “This prosecution should send out a clear warning that this council takes fly-tipping very seriously and we will take action whenever possible. Fly-tipping is totally unacceptable and we will not tolerate this sort of behaviour.

“In this case, by working together with Severn Trent who deployed cameras in the area, we were able to identify the offender who can be seen in the act of fly-tipping.

“We would always appeal for help from residents in putting together fly-tipping cases and we treat information and tip-offs in confidence. Fly-tipping is an environmental crime that affects the whole community – but by working together we can crack down on the offenders.”

Call 01789 260616 or email www.stratford.gov.uk to report fly-tipping cases to the council.

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