Hilltown businessman fined £4,500 for waste offences

A Co Down businessman was fined a total of £4,500 for illegal waste offences at Downpatrick Magistrates’ Court today.

Mr Paul McEvoy, of Leitrim Road, Hilltown, trading as Paul McEvoy Contracts Ltd, pleaded guilty and was fined with two charges under the Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997.

In February 2009 officials from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency investigated the unauthorised disposal of controlled waste at a site adjacent to 50 Darragh Road. Darraghcross, Saintfield, where they observed controlled waste, consisting of clay, wood, plastics being deposited and stored.

There was no planning permission or waste management licence in place for the site.

Notes to editors:

1 Mr McEvoy, trading as Paul McEvoy Contracts Ltd, was fined £1,500 for Article 4(1) (a) and £3,000 for Article 4(1) (b).

Article 4(1)(a) - the deposit of controlled waste or knowingly causing or knowingly permitting controlled waste to be deposited in or on land unless a waste management licence authorising the deposit is in force and the deposit is in accordance with the licence, and

Article 4(1)b - keeping and disposing of controlled waste without a waste management licence.

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