Demolition firm pays £10k to charity after illegally burning waste

A demolition and excavation company has paid £10,000 to two environmental charities after being caught burning waste illegally.

Seearo Group, of Grange Farm, Newmarket Road, Flint Cross, Hertfordshire was reported to have been burning waste at its base in July 2017.

After investigating, Environment Agency officers found that Seearo had committed an offence of operating without or other than in accordance with a permit (waste operation) – Regulation 38(1) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.

The site was being used as an illegal inert waste operation, with tonnes of material on site, crushing and screening machinery, a wheel wash and a pile of waste for removal.

Taking into account the company’s lack of previous convictions, the Environment Agency decided to deal with the matter by way of an Enforcement Undertaking.

Seearo Group offered to contribute £5,000 to The Woodland Trust and £5,000 to Wild Trout Trust, which will use the money for a conservation project that will help improve river habitats in Cambridgeshire.

Seearo also committed to all management within the company receiving waste training from industry experts WAMITAB at a cost of £5,000 and the hiring of consultants through a membership with CL:AIRE, costing £35,000.

The company also registered its hub and cluster sites, at a cost of £12,000, and agreed to pay the Environment Agency’s costs of £6,818.88.

Naomi Daniel, enforcement officer for the Environment Agency, said: “Enforcement undertakings allow those who commit offences to stop offending, come into compliance and to take steps to prevent a recurrence.

“When appropriate, they allow a better resolution for the environment than a prosecution and help offenders who are prepared to take responsibility for their actions to put things right voluntarily, in a way that directly benefits the environment and local communities.”

A Woodland Trust spokesperson said the money it received would help to fund continued development of Langley Vale Wood, acquired by the Trust in 2014.