Jail Time for Illegally Dumping Over a Million Tyres

09 November 2011
 
A man has received a 15 month jail sentence following a successful prosecution by the UK's Environment Agency (EA) for illegally dumping over a million waste tyres across the country.
 
According to the EA, it had been investigating Carl David Steele after its officers found over 3000 tyres at hisLincolnshire site. During the investigation the number rose to 200,000 and then 400,000. He was allowed to store just 6,000.

Investigators uncovered four further dumping sites, with a combined total of over 800,000 tyres.

The EA says that Steele, from Spalding, Lincolnshire, dumped the tyres at environmentally sensitive locations in Essex, Norfolk, Yorkshire, Worcestershire and Lincolnshire to avoid disposal costs.
 
EA investigators worked closely with the local authorities, fire and rescue and land agents following reports that Steele was offering cheap waste tyre collections and operating multiple illegal waste sites around the country.
 
The court was told that waste tyre stockpiles present a significant fire risk. Extinguishing tyre fires can also lead to serious water pollution.
 
Sites that handle waste tyres are required to have an environmental permit to ensure that the risk of fire and any environmental pollution is minimised.
 
Mat Crocker, head of Waste and Illegals at the Environment Agency, comments:
 
"Huge tyre dumps are not only an eyesore, but also present a serious risk to the environment and human health. Stockpiles are a significant fire risk, as they can burn for several years, releasing dangerous gases such as hydrogen sulphide, hydrogen cyanide and sulphur dioxide.

The agency has identified tyres as one of the most problematic illegal waste streams and currently has nine national tyre dumping investigations underway.
 
"The Environment Agency has specialist crime teams to target serious, organised waste criminals, and make sure that illegal operations such as these are shut down. We also seek to confiscate the profits of waste crime, making it clear that waste crime does not pay.
 
The investigation coincided with a crackdown on illegal tyre waste operators through the EA's national 'Get a Grip' campaign.


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