A MAN who brought large amounts of waste to a site and burnt it illegally has been jailed.

John Bruce, 45, was sentenced for six charges in relation to the operation of an unpermitted waste activity at Throckmorton Airfield with most of the waste consisting of construction and demolition waste.

In total, approximately 26,000 cubic metres of waste was brought onto the site by Mr Bruce during the offending period.

For several weeks in March and April 2013, Bruce treated and disposed of waste by burning large quantities of it at Ridgeway Park Farm.

For several weeks fires were continually burning at the site causing misery for local residents, endangering health and polluting the air in the area. There was a major impact on the quality of life for local residents, as Bruce burnt a large amount of plastic waste, causing plumes of putrid black smoke across the nearby village.

In April 2013, a fire at the site was attended by Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service and the Environment Agency, yet Bruce repeatedly ignored the interventions of the Environment Agency and the Fire Service.

Bruce ran a waste disposal operation centred on a site at Ridgeway Park Farm, Throckmorton Airfield, near Pershore, for three and a half years, between 2011 and 2014 without any permit.

He brought waste onto the site and either dumped it, buried it or burned it. he court heard that Mr John Bruce purchased the site in July 2011 and ran a large scale illegal waste disposal operation at the farm.

Waste activities were first reported in 2011 and continued until December 2014 without any Environmental Permit. Mr Bruce who trades as UK Plant Services, operated under a fraudulent waste carriers registration number.

Heavy goods vehicles and articulated tippers removed waste from construction sites and permitted waste sites around the West Midlands. This was then deposited at the farm and disposed of on an industrial scale by burning and burial.

Responding to complaints from local residents, Environment Agency officers met with Mr Bruce on a number of occasions, conducting site inspections and enforcing environmental regulations. Warnings were issued following evidence that burning had been taking place on the site.

Bruce kept his herd of cattle on site grazing amongst the waste and in conditions where polluting effluent was not contained.

Environment Agency officers also noticed that waste gypsum powder was being used as animal bedding and advised Bruce that this practice was unlawful.

hey also noted that the cattle bedding also contained mixed waste, electric cables, drink cans and plumbing parts. The used bedding was spread to land, causing odour complaints and a risk of pollution to the watercourse and land.

Brown liquid was seen seeping from storage areas, pooling and flowing in the direction of a small watercourse, approximately 100m away. Officers reported evidence of hazardous waste buried and the potential for discharge substances to enter the groundwater and the Piddle Brook.

In sentencing, the judge commented that this was serious environmental offending and that there was a clear need for a deterrent sentence. Bruce was given some credit by way of a discount on his sentence as he had pleaded guilty and avoided the need for a trial.

Speaking after the case, an Environment Agency officer in charge of the investigation said: “Waste crime is a serious offence with tough penalties. It can damage the environment, blight local communities and undermine those who operate legally. We aim to disrupt, prevent, investigate, illegal waste sites and take enforcement action where we can.

"John Bruce operated a sustained large scale illegal waste site at his farm. He imported, burned, buried and spread unsuitable polluting waste, causing pollution to the land and air, harm to the cattle and significant harm and disruption to local residents and businesses.

"The Environment Agency will aim to shut down sites quickly and use all our enforcement powers, where we believe environmental offences have been committed. In cases where we believe monies have been unlawfully gained, we will investigate under the proceeds of crime act and confiscate assets.

“Mr Bruce has shown a blatant disregard for the environment and local community, subjecting local residents to months of misery by bringing on large quantities of waste and burning it on the site.”

Bruce was jailed for 26 months at Worcester Crown Court on Friday May 11. No order for costs was made at this stage, pending the outcome of confiscation proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, which will be resolved in due course.