A Wakefield waste management company with a history of breaking environmental regulations has had its permit revoked by the Environment Agency (EA).

A legal notice was served to Noble Waste Treatment Ltd last year to revoke its permit after a ‘series of breaches of permit conditions’, the EA says. The company initiated appeal proceedings and was allowed to operate until the outcome was decided.

However, the appeal was dismissed by the Planning Inspectorate last week (22 June), and the company’s environmental permit has now been revoked. Without a valid permit, the company is not allowed to operate or accept any more waste into its transfer facility at Thornes Lane Wharf.

‘History of failing to comply’

According to the EA, Noble Waste Treatment Ltd has a ‘history of failing to comply’ with the conditions set out in its environmental permit.

The Thornes Lane Wharf site has previously been known to the EA for storing waste outside the area specified in the permit, storing waste in a ‘manner that poses a fire risk’ and storing waste for longer than the permitted time.

In 2014, the firm was issued with a legal notice to reduce the ‘mountain of waste’ present at its site and had its permit partially revoked in 2015 after ignoring the deadline to reduce the pile of waste. The firm’s permit was reinstated soon after as steps were taken to remove the waste and install improved fire safety measures.

Now that its permit has been taken away again, the firm has been instructed to remove waste from the permitted area by 22 September or face further legal action.

Noble Skip Services Ltd, a separate waste disposal company that operates under a waste carrier’s licence, is unaffected by the permit revocation and will be able to collect waste but not deposit it at the Thornes Lane Wharf site.

EA 'will take appropriate action to protect the environment'

A spokesperson for the EA said: “The EA has revoked Noble Waste Treatment’s permit in order to protect the environment. The company has a history of failing to comply with the conditions of its permit, and it has failed to respond to advice, guidance and enforcement action taken against it.

“It is vital that waste companies comply with the law so that communities and the environment are not put at risk. We work with operators to help them meet their obligations, but where significant or repeated breaches occur, we will take appropriate action to protect the environment.”

More information about how the EA investigates waste crime is available inResource’s feature article.