Waste operator breached permit conditions

The mother and son behind a Huddersfield-based operator have been given suspended jail sentences after pleading guilty to waste offences that led to the firm’s premises catching fire. Jacinta Hunter,, aged 59, and Samuel Hunter, 31, were given 12- and 24-month sentences respectively, suspended for two years. They ran Hunter Group (Yorkshire), which held a licence for nine HGVs and three trailers, and the operator accepted at Leeds Crown Court that it had kept waste that posed a fire risk.

The Environment Agency said the operator’s site was found to be repeatedly in breach of its permit, as huge piles of waste were found pushing against a perimeter fence which was broken in places. Following continued breaches and concerns over the waste falling through the fence and potentially polluting a river, two enforcement notices were issued. When advice was given to make improvements, Samuel Hunter was verbally abusive to officers. In August 2016 a fire broke out at the site and a large amount of run-off accumulated behind the premises of a nearby factory from the firefighting activities.

An EA spokesman said: “Despite repeated warnings, waste was still brought on-site, causing a risk to the environment and contributing to a fire that affected the surrounding community and businesses, and left authorities with significant clear-up costs.”