A man has been arrested in connection with the illegal burning of waste near Llanelli, according to Natural Resources Wales (NRW), whose officers carried out an investigation into the incident.
The unnamed man in question was arrested on 5 February. He was questioned and later released on bail.
Pippa Sabine, Tackling Waste Crime officer for NRW, said: “If an offer seems too good to be true then beware, it is highly likely that the carrier is operating illegally and dumping waste where it will harm the local community and the environment.
“On average a legitimate waste carrier charges around £52 to remove a car boot sized bundle of waste while a van load would cost £166 and an average skip load around £230.
“If you are being charged less then ask if they are a registered waste carrier and check our public register.”
The type of waste deposited at the site is thought by NRW to have been general household waste, including black bags, mattresses, furniture, tyres, plastics, and white household goods such as fridges.
Builders’ waste is also thought to have been involved.
NRW says smoke from the area had caused concern to residents of the surrounding area.
Communities
The Arson Reduction Team, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service assisted NRW and Dyfed Powys Police in their investigation.
“The illegal dumping and burning of waste causes a serious nuisance”
Arson Reduction Team police sergeant Marc Davies said: “Protecting our communities is a key priority for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
“The illegal dumping and burning of waste causes a serious nuisance to the surrounding community and whilst fire crews are dealing with these incidents, they are unable to attend other emergency calls.
“It is vital that we work closely with our partners in tackling this crime and support them with their investigations and enforcement.”
Taskforce
A taskforce dedicated to tackling serious and organised waste crime was launched in January (see letsrecycle.com story), bringing together law enforcement agencies, environmental regulators, HMRC and the National Crime Agency.
NRW is working with its partner agencies – Mid & West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Carmarthenshire County Council and Dyfed-Powys Police – to tackle waste crime across the county of Carmarthenshire, in which Llanelli is the largest town.
Sergeant Gemma Davies of the Llwynhendy Neighbourhood Policing Team (a branch of Dyfed-Powys Police) said: “By working with partner agencies, we can effectively deal with offences, keep our communities safe from harm from such offences and reduce demand placed on front line policing.”
The post Man arrested for illegal burning of waste in Llanelli appeared first on letsrecycle.com.
Source: letsrecycle.com Waste Managment