A man from Cardiff has been sentenced to a 12-month community order consisting of 100 hours of unpaid work after pleading guilty to two waste offences.
Luke George Martin operated an illegal waste operation from a Cardiff industrial estate under the company name LGM Recycle Waste Removal.
In May 2023, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service were called to a waste fire at the site, which resulted in a large amount of contaminated fire water run-off entering the nearby Roath Brook.
Natural Resources Wales said how the waste was deposited and stored contributed towards the seriousness of the fire and its impact on the environment.
Mr Martin was given a 12-month community order and ordered to complete ten days of rehabilitation, during a sentencing hearing at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court.
He was also ordered to pay £3,000 as a contribution towards costs and a victim surcharge of £114.
An investigation by NRW’s waste regulation team found Mr Martin stored and sorted waste without an environmental permit.
His actions led to a large waste fire that endangered the lives of local people and the firefighters who tackled it.
NRW said its officers found a large pile of deposited controlled waste on land behind the industrial unit consisting of household, construction and demolition waste.
Following further enquiries, the officers established that Mr Martin was renting the land and there was no environmental permit nor were there any waste exemptions registered at the address.
Mr Martin was served with a Section 59 Notice requiring him to remove the waste from the site to a suitably permitted waste site by 30 May 2023.
Commenting on the sentencing, Eleanor Davies, Waste Regulation Team Leader for NRW, said: “Mr Martin made a financial gain through this illegal activity. He avoided costs of running a legitimate waste site and undercut legitimate waste operators who abide by the rules.
“His actions led to a large waste fire that endangered the lives of local people and the firefighters who tackled it. It also led to the harmful pollution of the nearby river.
“We will not hesitate to take action against illegal waste operations to protect the people, environment and economy of Wales.”
