Irresponsible waste dumping is becoming a global concern as companies are increasingly polluting the environment with hazardous and unprocessed chemical substances. This poses a menace to both our natural environment and general public safety. The following is a waste dumping case that successfully resulted to resettlement fines and costs.
A good example of a successful settled court case on waste dumping is the Richard James case in Cambria, United Kingdom. Mr. Richard James Allan is a 40 year old director, and owner of two companies; Brampton Skip Hire Ltd and North West Recycling. He was accused by the Carlisle Crown Law Court of Cambria, of having failed to conform to environmental laws and regulations and the defendant pleaded guilty to 20 charges (Cumberland News 2013). Some of the charges included failing to weigh and register waste from the companies, and dumping of processed waste on 7 farms including his land, whereas he had no legal permission to do so (Kelly 2013).
According to accusations by Environment Agency lawyer Kevin Slack, the damp farms are situated near Brampton, and felonies occurred between April 2010 and November 2011. Mr. Richard was fined 40,000 pounds and 30,000 pounds on costs, hence a total of 70,000 pounds. According to claims by the defense lawyer Tim Evans, the defendant had no malicious intentions to dispose of waste carelessly. He thought the wastes were properly recycled and environment friendly, but as it appeared it was not sufficiently recycled (Environment Agency 2013).
Carlisle Crown Court Judge Peter Hughes accepted that the occurrences were not deliberate, and problems that Mr. Richard was facing were due to sudden growth of his companies, as explained by the defendants’ lawyer, and Mr. Richard agreed to pay the fine.
The fines agreed upon were adequate, since there were no quarrels and the court ruled fairly, and the affected parties were okay with it. This is because the harm caused was little and initial, and compensation fell below the proposed fine.
Works Cited
Kelly P. No ‘wicked plan’ to illegally dump waste Carlisle court told. News and Star, October
2013. Web. 19 Dec. 2013.
Environment Agency. Carlisle company director pleads guilty to waste offences. Environment
Agency, December 2013. Web. 19 Dec. 2013.
The Cumberland News. Cumbrian waste companies boss to face trial on charges of illegally.
dumping waste, C.N. January 2013. Web. 19 Dec. 2013.
