Owners of Armagh business fined £4,000 waste offences

Owners of an Armagh business were today fined a total of £4,000 plus £104 costs at Armagh Magistrates' Court.

The owners of Tullygoonigan Industrial Estate, at Moy Road, Armagh, Brian Hughes and Colin Traynor, were convicted of eight offences under the Waste and Contaminated Land (NI) Order 1997 and fined £500 for each offence.

During 2007 and 2008 an area on Tullygoonigan Industrial Estate had been repeatedly used by local businesses and residents to dump and burn mixed commercial and household waste.

The site was unsecured and did not have a waste management licence for the treatment or storage of waste.

Officers from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (formerly the Environment and Heritage Service) and an officer from Armagh City & District Council visited the site between April 2007 and July 2008 when they observed several piles of burning household and commercial waste along with widespread waste dumping.

Notes to Editors:

1. The owners of the business were charged as follows:- Two offences under Article 4(1)(a) - depositing controlled waste, or knowingly causing or knowingly permitting controlled waste to be deposited in or on any land unless a waste management licence authorising the deposit is in force and the deposit is in accordance with the licence. Six offences under Article 4(1)(b) - treating, keeping or disposing of controlled waste, or knowingly causing or knowingly permitting controlled waste to be treated or kept in or on land except in accordance with a waste management licence.

2. For media enquiries please contact DOE Press Office 028 9054 0014 or out of office hours, contact the EIS Duty Press Officer on pager 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.