In a prosecution brought by the Environment Agency, Oliver ‘Luke’ Kirkbride, of Stanley View, Mirehouse, Whitehaven, pleaded guilty to multiple offences relating to the illegal operation of waste sites on the Lune Industrial Estate in Lancaster.
On 15 August, Kirkbride appeared at Preston Crown Court and was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and 200 hours unpaid work. He was also banned from being a company director for 5 years.
Major fire caused by combustible waste
An investigation by the Environment Agency revealed that thousands of tonnes of combustible waste was stored in breach of permit conditions, with operations continuing even after a suspension notice was issued.
The abandoned waste led to a major fire in December 2023, which caused significant disruption to neighbouring businesses and left firefighting and clean-up costs of over £2 million.
Large quantities of combustible waste were stored far in excess of the 500-tonne, seven-day limit set in the site’s environmental permit.
Defendant ignores order to stop taking waste
In February 2022, the Environment Agency suspended the site’s permit because of the significant fire risk, but waste imports continued until April 2022, and then under a second company until October 2022.
The site’s permit was revoked by the Environment Agency in November 2022.
Between September 2021 and October 2022, Kirkbride, as a company director, was found to have deliberately breached environmental permit limits, operated unpermitted waste sites, repeatedly failed to comply with enforcement notices and deposited waste without the necessary authorisations.
Further offences involve waste storage breaches at Unit C4 and the illegal use of Unit C3, which had no permit in place.
‘Waste criminals cause distress and destruction’
An Environment Agency spokesperson said:
Illegal waste activity and breaches of Environmental permits puts communities, businesses, and the environment at serious risk.
The defendant repeatedly and deliberately ignored environmental law and defied enforcement action by continuing to breach the law with no consideration for the environment or the community of Lancaster.
His actions led to a major fire that ultimately caused weeks of harm and disruption to local residents and businesses. The costs of which to resolve and clear were borne by emergency services and multi-agency partners including Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service and Lancaster City Council.
Waste criminals cause distress to our communities and can destroy the environment. This case demonstrates that we will continue to pursue and take robust action against anyone operating outside the law.
Background
- Kirkbride pleaded guilty to four counts of Offence of depositing controlled waste without an environmental permit, contrary to Section 33(1)(a) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 at Unit 37, Lune Industrial Estate.
- Kirkbride pleaded guilty to three counts of Offence of breaching conditions under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 relating to the operation of waste sites at Units C3 and C4, Lune Industrial Estate.
