Electrician now sees the light
Electrician Michael Thorpe from Leigh pleaded guilty at Wigan Magistrates on Tuesday 14th June 2006 to depositing controlled, hazardous waste on a farmer's field off Miller's Lane Atherton on 13 November 2005.
He was fined £300 and ordered to pay costs of £550 to the Council which include Legal and investigation costs.
At the time of the incident he was employed by Smethurst Electrical Services, of Hodson Street, Wigan as an electrician. Mr Thorpe stated that he wanted to use his company van for moving some furniture and needed to dispose of several light fitting and fluorescent tubes that he'd removed from a job the previous Friday. He visited a household waste site but was turned away so decided to dispose of the tubes, light fittings and packaging into a field off Miller's Lane.
An employee of the land owner who witnessed the incident contacted the Council's Fly Tipping Enforcement Team and the vehicle was traced to Smethurst Electrical Services. The firm told officers that Mr Thorpe was using the van at the time and he was interviewed by officer's from the Council's Public Health team at Leigh.
Notes:
Fluorescent tubes are classed as hazardous waste.
Fluorescent tubes contain amounts of mercury, lead and sometimes cadmium. Mercury can be ingested and cause damage to the Central Nervous System, Liver and Kidneys. Lead can also be taken into the body by ingestion or by inhaling lead dust. The effects of lead on the adult body include problems with reproduction, digestion, memory, high blood pressure, nerve disorder and muscle and joint pain.
Both mercury and lead are more dangerous to children as their bodies absorb more lead than adult bodies.
Trade waste is not accepted at Household Waste Recycling Centres. Traders must make suitable arrangements to have their waste collected by a licensed contractor or take their own waste to a commercial waste site. More information for Traders can be found here >>