Company Fined £69,000 for Illegally Dumping Tyres in Wales

A Powys-based company, Benji and Co Limited, along with its director, Peter Rees, has been fined a total of £69,000 for serious breaches of environmental regulations following the illegal dumping of used tyres at multiple locations. The ruling was delivered at Welshpool Magistrates’ Court earlier this week, where both the company and Rees pleaded guilty to four offences.

The court proceedings revealed that from January to June 2022, Benji and Co Limited operated a waste site at Gwern Tyddyn, Llanidloes, without the necessary environmental permit. During this period, the company unlawfully stored and treated tyres, which culminated in large quantities of waste being dumped at various sites, including Newhouse Farm in Aberhafesp, Rhossllyn in Nantmel, and Llys Fynydd in Llanidloes.

As a consequence of these actions, the court imposed a fine of £10,000 for each of the four offences, alongside £15,000 in prosecution costs, significantly impacting the company’s finances. The evidence presented indicated that between March and December 2022, baled, shredded, and loose tyres were stored in hazardous conditions and well beyond legal limits established under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 and the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) officers discovered more than 200 tyre bales, over 1,000 loose tyres, and an estimated 40 tonnes of shredded tyre waste at the sites. The unsafe storage conditions posed a significant fire risk. Despite multiple inspections and guidance from NRW dating back to 2018, Benji and Co Limited failed to rectify the situation or comply with environmental standards.

In addition to the company’s penalties, Rees was fined £10,000 for his role in the offences. The court found that he had either consented to or neglected his responsibilities regarding the company’s illegal operations during the specified period. Both the company and Rees were also ordered to pay a £2,000 victim surcharge each.

Following the court’s decision, Jeremy Goddard, team leader for the waste and enforcement team at NRW, emphasized the importance of adherence to environmental regulations. He stated, “This case highlights the importance of following environmental rules. Permits and exemptions exist to protect people, nature, and the wider environment. Ignoring them puts communities and the environment at risk and undermines the integrity of the waste management system. We will always take action where we find serious non-compliance.”

This prosecution underscores NRW’s commitment to addressing illegal waste activities and holding responsible parties accountable. As environmental regulations become increasingly stringent, companies must prioritize compliance to avoid similar legal repercussions and contribute positively to community safety and environmental health.