A farmer who buried potentially lethal asbestos on his land has been ordered to cough up more than 10,000 in fines and costs.
Last week Worksop Magistrates Court heard Anthony Bealby plead guilty to burying 2.3 tonnes of asbestos at Grange Farm, Lindrick Road, Woodsetts.
The court heard a series of visits by Environment Agency inspectors between November 2009 and February 2010 eventually found asbestos buried on land.
Bealby of Nidd Lane, Birstwith, Harrogate, took down a barn on Grange Farm with an asbestos laden roof for ‘financial reasons’.
He admitted cutting corners, saving more than 1,300 in proper disposal costs, by burying the waste instead of paying for it to be properly disposed of.
In June 2010 a land registry search confirmed Bealby had sold the land, but the asbestos was only removed this month following action by the Environment Agency.
Bealby was fined 6,500 and ordered to pay 3,500 in costs, along with a 15 victim surcharge.
Speaking after the case, a spokesman for the Environment Agency: “It is important the disposal of waste is regulated to ensure it does not endanger the environment.
“In this case the hazardous material was disposed of without any consideration for human health or the environment to avoid the true cost of its proper disposal.”
AMS provide advice about thesafe disposal of asbestos materials. We can also take samples of suspected asbestos containing materials and analyse them in our UKAS accredited laboratory to give you a definitive record of whether the material contains asbestos or not. Contact us for more details.