A man from County Durham has been sentenced for running an illegal waste site. Christopher Williams, 66, lived in Acton Dene, Stanley. He appeared in court on February 13, 2023, after pleading guilty to two charges of operating without an environmental permit at Whinfield Industrial Estate in Gateshead. He was given a 44-week prison sentence.
The case involved a significant amount of neglected waste on the property, creating a serious fire hazard. Gary Wallace, an environmental manager with the Environment Agency, pointed out that despite being given chances to rectify the situation, Williams ignored the law and continued to operate unlawfully. Wallace emphasized that environmental permits exist to protect both the public and the environment.
Williams managed an organization named the LCA Community Charity from the industrial unit. This group, which is not registered as a charity, claimed to help with clothing and household donations. While both Williams and his organization had waste carrier licenses, a legal necessity for transporting waste, they did not comply with waste management regulations.
On November 17, 2022, officers from the Environment Agency visited the site and discovered a troubling amount of waste outside. They found over 50 refrigerators, dismantled furniture, mattresses, and numerous other items. The waste was often mixed together, some of it clearly aged. Inside the unit, an office area contained some household items for sale.
Waste was stacked 12 feet high in one of the sheds. This careless storage raised alarms about its potential to catch fire. Officers asked Williams to clear the site by January 16, 2023, and provided information on legal waste management practices that would allow him to operate properly.
However, when the officers returned on January 17, they found even more waste, including an increase in broken wooden furniture, raising further concerns about fire safety. Following multiple visits from November through the summer of 2023, it was clear that the waste issue remained unresolved. At one point, Williams mentioned half the refrigerators had “gone to Africa,” which highlighted a lack of accountability in managing hazardous waste properly.
Fridges contain toxic materials and must be disposed of correctly at licensed facilities. Williams had no transfer notes, which are required by law to track waste movement. The deadline for clearing the property passed, but Williams claimed he was still organizing the cleanup during a September 2024 visit.
Illegal waste activities threaten both safety and the environment. Reporting such activities helps maintain community standards and protect public health.
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