Skip Firm Fined £48k for Illegal Waste Site Operations
A Birmingham skip hire company must pay financial penalties of more than £48,000 after the Environment Agency brought a prosecution for operating illegally.
- Investigation by Environment Agency finds company without necessary environmental permit
- Court issues remediation order for site to be cleared of waste within 3 months
- Case heard at Birmingham magistrates on Monday 7 July 2025.
At Birmingham magistrates’ court on 7 July 2025, Action Skip Hire Limited of Trent Street, Digbeth, were found guilty of 2 offences and admitted another.
The court imposed a fine of £12,000 for operating a regulated facility in Oxford Street, Birmingham, without the necessary environmental permit. They were also ordered to pay a surcharge of £190 and costs of £26,376.58.
The company was fined a further £6,000 for failing to comply with a Notice to provide waste transfer notes. They were ordered to pay a £2,000 surcharge and costs of £1,522.38.
The court was told that the company held an environmental permit for a waste site at Trent Street, Digbeth. However, not for land off Oxford Street where the company illegally stored and processed wastes.
Officers from the Environment Agency visited the Oxford Street site on 10 August 2023 following reports of waste activity taking place.
Investigations found the site were storing mixed general and construction and demolition wastes including trommel fines, tyres, mattresses and wood.
Further investigations revealed that the land was leased to Action Skip Hire Limited. Inspections by Environment Agency Officers during September and October of 2023 showed that the Oxford Street site was still being used for waste activities.
This resulted in the Environment Agency serving a Section 59 (1) (a) Enforcement Notice on 20 November 2023 requiring the company to remove waste from the land. The notice was not complied with.
Further visits were carried out throughout 2024 which found wastes remaining on the site.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said:
We welcome this outcome and will continue to work tirelessly to pursue and prosecute those involved in illegal waste activities.
Failure to comply with these legal requirements is a serious offence that can damage the environment and undermine legitimate businesses.
Anyone with suspicions of waste crime can call our incident hotline, 0800 807060, or Crimestoppers, on 0800 555111.
Background
Between 1 February 2021 and the 16 July 2024, at a site off Oxford Street, Birmingham, B5 5NY, did operate a regulated facility, namely a waste operation for the deposit, treatment, and storage of waste, except under and to the extent authorised by an environmental permit. Contrary to Regulations 12 (1) (a) and 38 (1) (a) Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016
On and after 29 February 2024 Action Skip Hire Limited failed, without reasonable excuse, to comply with a notice dated the 20 November 2023 and served on the company pursuant to Section 59 (1) (a) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in that the company failed to remove controlled waste from land off Oxford Street, Birmingham, B5 5NY.
On 28 November 2024 Action Skip Hire Limited failed to comply with the requirements of a Notice dated 20 November 2024, which required that written descriptions of waste removed from 39 Trent Street, Birmingham, B5 5NL, covering the period 5 August 2024 to 19 November 2024, be provided to the Environment Agency within 7 days, contrary to Section 34(5) and (6) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and Regulation 35 of the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011.
Remediation Order:
A Regulation 44 Remediation Order was issued to the Company requiring them to remove all waste from the site within 3 months.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/skip-company-to-pay-over-48000-for-operating-illegal-waste-site