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13/01/2005
Record fine imposed for illegal landfill site
The highest fine ever imposed in Northern Ireland for an environmental offence has been levied against an illegal landfill site located in Co. Down.
Fines totalling £22,000 have been imposed on Neil Rooney, the operator of an illegal landfill site at Ballytrustan Road in Downpatrick.
The fine was imposed by Downpatrick Magistrates Court last week, following an investigation of the illegal landfill site by the DOE’s Environment and Heritage Service.
The court heard that, during this investigation, Mr Rooney was found to have illegally dumped a large amount of domestic and commercial waste on his land. Some of this waste was subsequently found to have originated in the Republic of Ireland.
In addition to the illegal waste, large volumes of agricultural slurry had also been dumped at the site. Both the slurry and contaminated leachate from the illegal landfill site were running freely off the site and were found to have polluted nearby streams.
Mr Rooney was prosecuted for both causing water pollution and for illegally dumping waste on his land. The court was told that this had been a very serious environmental incident, with serious pollution caused and the illegal waste likely to cause continuing environmental problems for years to come unless it is removed.
The Resident Magistrate commented on the fact that this was a very serious incident, and imposed a fine of £10,000 on the pollution charge and fines totalling £12,000 on the illegal waste charge – making a total of £22,000 on both charges, plus costs.
(GB/MB)
Fines totalling £22,000 have been imposed on Neil Rooney, the operator of an illegal landfill site at Ballytrustan Road in Downpatrick.
The fine was imposed by Downpatrick Magistrates Court last week, following an investigation of the illegal landfill site by the DOE’s Environment and Heritage Service.
The court heard that, during this investigation, Mr Rooney was found to have illegally dumped a large amount of domestic and commercial waste on his land. Some of this waste was subsequently found to have originated in the Republic of Ireland.
In addition to the illegal waste, large volumes of agricultural slurry had also been dumped at the site. Both the slurry and contaminated leachate from the illegal landfill site were running freely off the site and were found to have polluted nearby streams.
Mr Rooney was prosecuted for both causing water pollution and for illegally dumping waste on his land. The court was told that this had been a very serious environmental incident, with serious pollution caused and the illegal waste likely to cause continuing environmental problems for years to come unless it is removed.
The Resident Magistrate commented on the fact that this was a very serious incident, and imposed a fine of £10,000 on the pollution charge and fines totalling £12,000 on the illegal waste charge – making a total of £22,000 on both charges, plus costs.
(GB/MB)
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