Blackwood company fined for illegal disposal of waste

A skip company has been fined £7000 and the company director given a 12-week custodial sentence for the for the illegal depositing of waste at Barnhill Industrial Estate near Blackwood, following an investigation by Natural Resources Wales (NRW)

Digaway Limited and the sole company director, Mr Daniel Jenkins, were found guilty of depositing-controlled waste without an environmental permit.

Officers from NRW first visited the site following reports of illegal waste activity on 14 December 2021.

Upon arrival, they found skips which were full of household, wood and plastic waste, a large pile of waste soil, and construction and demolition waste. Mr Jenkins was given advice and guidance and told to remove the waste and refrain from depositing any further.

However, during subsequent visits which took place between February – August 2022, NRW officers observed further offending of the same nature.  

An additional 20 -30 skips were observed on the site along with piles of construction and demolition material which was in the process of being crushed and sorted.

John Jowett, Enforcement officer for Natural Resources Wales said:

Waste crime can have a negative impact on the environment, people’s health and their local communities.

We will prosecute those who seek to profit by breaking the law and whose actions undermine legitimate businesses operating within the waste industry.

We hope the outcome of this case sends a clear message that we will always take the appropriate steps to protect people and nature while also protecting the marketplace for legitimate operators.

At the hearing at Cwmbran Magistrates court on 21 November, Digaway Limited was fined £7000, and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £190.

Mr Jenkins as the company director, was given a 12-week custodial sentence and ordered to pay NRW’s investigation and legal costs of £3125 and a victim surcharge of £128.

Anybody who suspects illegal waste activity in their area should report it via NRW’s incident hotline on 0300 065 3000.