A waste removal firm has been fined thousands of pounds after it illegally piled up more than 100 tonnes of rubbish on its premises.

Owners of R&A Waste Removal, of Waltham Abbey, were prosecuted by Epping Forest District Council in September for storing ten times more waste than legally allowed.

The company was licensed by the Environment Agency to store up to 10 tonnes of rubbish, but an estimated 100 to 150 tonnes were discovered at its site in Pick Hill.

Alfie Smith and Richard McGuire, directors of a waste removal company in Waltham Abbey were prosecuted for depositing waste without a permit or an exemption and falling in their duty of care.

The defendants each pleaded guilty to depositing waste on the site without a permit or in accordance with an exemption administered by the Environment Agency.

R & A Waste Removal Limited also pleaded guilty to failing their waste duty of care.

Smith and McGuire were each fined £1,000 and ordered to pay a contribution towards the council’s prosecution costs of £500 and a Victim Surcharge of £120.

Their company was fined £2,000, ordered to pay a contribution towards the council’s prosecution costs of £1,000 and a Victim Surcharge of £170.

Portfolio Holder for Environment, Councillor Will Breare-Hall said: “The company was storing an estimated 100 to 150 tonnes of waste, ten times the amount they were licenced to store.

“They were also sorting significant quantities of non-recyclable waste that was not covered by the exemption either.”

”Storing large piles of unregulated waste is not only illegal, it also poses a fire hazard, presents pollution risks, and looks unsightly.

“The council will not tolerate the growth of unregulated waste disposal site”.