The Environment Agency said it will continue to work tirelessly to pursue and prosecute those involved in illegal waste activitiesBirmingham Magistrates' CourtBirmingham Magistrates’ Court(Image: Birmingham Live)

A Birmingham skip hire company have been landed with a £48,000 legal bill after operating illegally following an Environment Agency prosecution.

Action Skip Hire Limited of Trent Street, Digbeth, were found guilty of two offences and admitted another.

It received a court order to clear the land of remaining wastes within three months. While it was also fined £12,000 for operating a regulated facility without the necessary environmental permit in Oxford Street, Birmingham.

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And they were ordered to pay a surcharge of £190 and costs of £26,376.58 following a hearing at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on July 7.

The company was also fined a further £6,000 for failing to comply with a Notice to provide waste transfer notes. They were ordered to pay a £2,000 surcharge and costs of £1,522.38.

The court was told that the company held an environmental permit for a waste site at Trent Street, Digbeth, but not for land off Oxford Street where the company illegally stored and processed wastes.

Officers from the Environment Agency visited the Oxford Street site in August 2023 following reports of waste activity taking place.

Investigations found the site were storing mixed general and construction and demolition wastes including trommel fines, tyres, mattresses and wood.

Further investigations revealed that the land was leased to Action Skip Hire Limited. Inspections by Environment Agency Officers during September and October of 2023 showed that the Oxford Street site was still being used for waste activities.

This resulted in the Environment Agency serving a Section 59 (1) (a) Enforcement Notice on 20 November 2023 requiring the company to remove waste from the land. The notice was not complied with.

Further visits were carried out throughout last year, which found wastes remaining on the site.

Speaking after the case, a spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: “We welcome this outcome and will continue to work tirelessly to pursue and prosecute those involved in illegal waste activities.

“Failure to comply with these legal requirements is a serious offence that can damage the environment and undermine legitimate businesses.

“Anyone with suspicions of waste crime can call our incident hotline, 0800 807060, or Crimestoppers, on 0800 555111.”