Dumped waste incurs fines and compensation
A waste criminal who was caught on CCTV illegally depositing three lorry loads of waste has been fined £4,500 and had his vehicle crushed. Kent operator Michael Shilling pleaded guilty at Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court to controlling, or being in a position to control the use of, a Scania skip loader. He also pleaded guilty to knowingly causing waste to be unlawfully deposited at a site in Rainham, Kent owned by Iron Mountain (UK) in December 2020.
The Environment Agency was made aware that waste had been dumped on the land and the following month further information was passed to the agency, including CCTV footage showing Shilling’s vehicle entering the site three times on one day. The deposited waste included plastics, paper, mattress fabric and fibre.
An employee of Iron Mountain (UK) made a statement saying the waste was smouldering when he arrived at work at the site on 15 December 2020. Shilling was also ordered to pay £6,779 costs, a £190 victims’ surcharge and £11,086 compensation to Iron Mountain (UK) PLC.
