On Friday 15 December 2017, Grimsby Magistrates sentenced Ali Al-Ahmad of Rodmarton Street, London, to a fine of £3,500 and Hassan Abdulrazak of Foxhills Road, Scunthorpe, to a fine of £3,500. In addition, both defendants were ordered to pay a contribution towards the prosecution costs of £2,500.

Al-Ahmad was also given an additional fine of £1,500 after he admitted the illegal deposit of construction and demolition waste that was partly contaminated with asbestos on the site.
The magistrates also imposed an order on both defendants requiring them to clear the site of waste within 3 months.

The court was told that the defendants operated a site on Wybeck Road, Scunthorpe, which did not have the necessary permit between 19 May 2014 and 12 October 2016.

The pair told officers from the Environment Agency that they were buying cars from local auctions and exporting them to the Middle East. However, site inspections revealed that they had started to dismantle vehicles, a practice which required an environmental permit.

Investigators saw that vehicle cutting operations were taking place and that vehicle parts, engines, electrical wiring and batteries were being stored on the site. The pair were told that the operations should stop, but further inspections showed that the advice had been ignored and that no application for a permit had been made.

In addition to this joint charge, Al-Ahmad admitted that construction and demolition waste contaminated with asbestos had been deposited on the site.

Inspectors discovered industrial bulk containers containing oily fluid, broken asbestos sheeting stored in a pile and remnants of a fire containing asbestos. Al-Ahmad was present at an inspection which detected chrysotile asbestos fibres in 19 samples taken from 3 separate locations on and outside the site boundary.

The court noted that neither defendant had any previous convictions and had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

Commenting after the hearing, an officer involved in the case said:

The defendants deliberately attempted to mislead us as the regulator. Through such illegal operations they unfairly undercut legitimate waste businesses, making it difficult for compliant firms to compete. This causes erosion of the legal waste sector and standards‎, resulting in an industry which is vulnerable to domination by illegal operators who have no concern for protecting the public or the environment.

We hope this case assures the legitimate waste industry and the public that we will investigate businesses who deliberately or recklessly flout the law, and that the sentences passed send a clear message that behaviour is unacceptable. ‎

We have brought this case to a successful outcome by dedicated hard work and professionalism.

The Environment Agency urges any landowners, farmers or members of the public who believe an illegal site is in operation to call them immediately on their 24-hour free incident hotline number 0800 80 70 60 or make an anonymous report to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Charges in the case

• Between 19 May 2014 and 12 October 2016 Ali Al Ahmad did operate a regulated facility namely a waste operation concerning the deposit, storage, depollution and disposal of waste vehicles and on land at Wybeck Road, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire when there was not in force an environmental permit authorising such activity contrary to Regulation 38 (1) (a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales Regulations) 2010.

• Between 19 May 2014 and 12 October 2016 Hassan Abdulrazak did operate a regulated facility namely a waste operation concerning the deposit, storage, depollution and disposal of waste vehicles and on land at Wybeck Road, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire when there was not in force an environmental permit authorising such activity contrary to Regulation 38 (1) (a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales Regulations) 2010.

• On or before 9 February 2016 Ali Al Ahmad did knowingly cause or knowingly permit the deposit of controlled waste namely construction and demolition waste contaminated with chrysotile asbestos on land adjacent at Wybeck Road, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire when there was not in force and environmental permit authorising such deposit contrary to Section 33(1)(a) Environmental Protection Act 1990 as amended.

The floating moorings replace ones on the relief channels at Stowbridge, Wiggenhall St Mary and the Denver Complex, all in Norfolk.

Expected to last at least 50 years, the new platforms feature non-slip mesh decking and galvanised steel frames.

Andy Bennison, Anglian Waterways engineer, who has managed the project said:

The existing landing stages have been taken away to be refurbished and re-used elsewhere on the River Great Ouse. The new frames and decking will improve safety, as well as look better and reduce maintenance costs.

It’s all part of our ongoing efforts to protect and improve our cherished waterways.

The work to replace the landing stages is part of the Environment Agency’s £1.4m Capital Investment Programme. Announced in November, the programme sets out the investments being made into Anglian Waterways’ 353-mile network.

Projects in the pipeline include improvements to eight locks, and take place from November to March – avoiding the peak boating season to minimise disruption for those on the river.

The Environment Agency cares for more than 353 miles of navigable waterways in the Anglian region, as well as a vast network of associated facilities such as bridges, locks, moorings and toilets.

The Government has appointed Professor Melanie Austen, Charles Banner and Professor Marian Scott as Independent Members of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. The appointments took effect from 15 December 2017 for three years.

All appointments to the JNCC are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. The appointment complies with the Governance Code on Public Appointments. There is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if significant) to be declared. The appointees have not declared any significant political activity during the past five years.

The JNCC was established in the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (2006) as a non-departmental public body. The JNCC advises the UK Government and Devolved Administrations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales on UK-wide and international nature conservation.

Remuneration is £9,836 per annum based on a time commitment of 2½ days per month.

Professor Melanie Austen

Melanie is a marine ecologist and interdisciplinary marine researcher who is Head of Science for the ‘Sea and Society’ science area at Plymouth Marine Laboratory. She has recently completed a 3 year term as the Chief Scientific Advisor to the UK’s Marine Management Organisation. For the last fifteen years she has been developing and leading UK and EU funded collaborative marine research. Through her interdisciplinary research she has examined and quantified the societal consequences and policy relevance of changes to the marine environment and its ecosystems. She has been an Honorary Professor at the University of Exeter medical school since 2014. Melanie is currently a member of UK JNCC’s South Atlantic Natural Capital Assessment Technical Advisory Group. She has previously been a member of other Expert Advisory Groups and has chaired an EU Marine Board ecosystem valuation working group.

Charles Banner

Charles is a barrister at Landmark Chambers. He was called to the Bar in England and Wales in 2004, then to Northern Ireland in 2010. He practices across both jurisdictions and internationally specialising in environment and planning law and government and regulation. In 2015 Charles became Co-founder of Landmark International establishing a bespoke platform for barristers offering their services to the international legal market. In 2016 Charles became a trustee and council member of the UK Environmental Law Association which aims to make the law work for a better environment and to improve the understanding and awareness of environmental law. He has recently been announced as ‘Environment & Planning Junior of the Year’ at the Chambers Bar Awards 2017.

Professor Marian Scott

Marian is Professor of Environmental Statistics in the School of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Glasgow; an elected member of the International Statistical Institute (ISI) and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) and a chartered statistician of the Royal Statistical Society (RSS). Marian’s research interests include model uncertainty and sensitivity analysis; modelling the dispersal of pollutants in the environment, radiocarbon dating and assessment of animal welfare. She was awarded an OBE in 2009 for services to social science.

Cavendish Nuclear will design, manufacture and test glove box systems in two new plants which will treat and manage nuclear materials.

Glove boxes are sealed containers designed so objects can be manipulated in an enclosed atmosphere.

The contract is worth up to £95m over 10 years.

Martin Chown, Sellafield Ltd supply chain director, said:

Safe and secure clean-up of the nuclear legacy at Sellafield is our number one priority.

Treatment and management of nuclear materials in the appropriate environment is vital.

Placing this contract with Cavendish Nuclear – a highly respected nuclear services provider – is an important step in our mission.

The company has pledged to deliver a positive social impact for our local community during the contract. I look forward to working with them to ensure this delivers the maximum possible value.

Cavendish Nuclear will now work with Sellafield Ltd to finalise details of its social impact investment.

This is expected to include a commitment to placing a significant percentage of work with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and holding school workshops in Cumbria on science, technology, engineering and maths.

Ron Gorham, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s (NDA) supply chain lead said:

“The expertise in the UK’s nuclear supply chain is unrivalled around the world and remains vital to delivering the NDA’s mission of cleaning up the UK’s nuclear legacy.

“The NDA is committed to working with SMEs and ensuring the benefit of every pound spent decommissioning our sites is felt within our communities.”

Paul Smith, managing director of nuclear services at Cavendish Nuclear, said:

“We are delighted to continue to support Sellafield Ltd in the delivery of this strategically important programme.

“We believe our collaborative approach to delivery is what differentiates our offer.

“Our team offers significant manufacturing capacity to meet the demands of the programme whilst also providing opportunities to share best practice across suppliers.”

Huge hydraulic arms that will operate Ipswich’s new tidal flood gate have been installed, taking the vital £70 million project 1 step closer to completion.

VIPs, including the Environment Agency chief executive Sir James Bevan, attended an open day to see the latest work on the flood defence scheme, which will significantly reduce the risk of flooding for 2,000 homes and businesses in the town.

The 200 tonne tidal gate was manufactured in the Netherlands and arrived in Suffolk in October, a significant milestone in the 4 year project. The gate is 22 metres wide and will stand 9 metres tall when in its “closed position”. It is finished with 5 tonnes of special paint that will help protect it, as it spends most of its life under water.

It was lowered into place by a specially constructed 1,000 tonne crane and the operating mechanism and
control building are now being installed.

The project is being undertaken by Environment Agency contractor VBA – a joint venture between VolkerStevin, Boskalis Westminster and Atkins – and is due to be completed next year.

Sir James Bevan, chief executive at the Environment Agency, said:

Its been fantastic to visit the Ipswich tidal barrier gate and see this incredible feat of engineering. The £70 million barrier will not only help reduce the threat of flooding for 2,000 homes and businesses but also be a boost for the area’s economy. Working with partners has been key to the scheme’s success and I look forward to seeing the finished scheme.

Floods Minister, Thérèse Coffey, said:

Suffolk is no stranger to flooding and the devastating impacts it can have. That is why I am really pleased that we have made progress with this scheme which is a key part of the regeneration of our county town.

This new £70 million barrier is brilliant news for Ipswich and is just 1 example of our investment across Suffolk to better protect communities across the county from flooding.

The Ipswich Flood Defence Management Strategy (IFDMS) will increase the standard of protection and takes into account current climate change predictions.

The final element of the scheme involves building a tidal barrier across the New Cut River in Ipswich with associated works to tie it into the new east and west bank walls and gates.

The flood defence scheme, which will reduce the risk of flooding to 1,608 homes and 422 businesses and support key infrastructure, has been partnership funded by: the Environment Agency, Ipswich Borough Council, Department for Communities and Local Government, the Haven Gateway Partnership, and the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership.

The barrier gate is expected to be operational in the spring of 2018.