PTS Demolition & Recycling fined for lack of waste permit

County Durham-based PTS Demolition & Recycling has been ordered to pay more than £6,000 for operating a waste transfer station without a permit.

The company pleaded guilty to operating its Hackworth Industrial Estate, Shildon, Bishop Auckland site without a permit at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court on 5 July. It was fined £3,500 with £2,680.46 in costs.

PTS Demolition & Recycling was given advice on how to apply for an environmental permit and planning permission for a waste transfer station in July 2014, and Environment Agency officers visited a further five times in 2015 to give additional support.

However, the company continued to run the waste site illegally, including storing 100 tonnes of crushed aggregate; 15 skips of mixed waste; and a store of fire extinguishers on the premises.

The firm, which has an O-licence for five vehicles and one trailer, submitted an application in February 2016, but this was returned as it had not paid the fee. A subsequent application was also returned for failing to include a fire prevention plan.

Officers found the level of waste had reduced when they visited the site in August last year, but some skips of mixed waste remained.

Jamie Fletcher, Environment Agency area environment manager, said: “We gave PTS Demolition every possible opportunity and extensive support to comply. However, not only did they store waste illegally, the company repeatedly ignored advice and failed to shut down operations.”