A Co. Antrim farmer has been fined £6,000 by the Antrim Crown Court, after pleading guilty to two breaches of waste management legislation, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland announced.
Alan Chestnutt (52) of Haw Road, Billy, Bushmills, Co. Antrim, was charged by the court yesterday (Tuesday, March 18), in relation to the unauthorised deposit of controlled waste at a site controlled by the farmer on the Cabragh Road in Bushmills.
According to DAERA, Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) officers inspected the site on the Cabragh Road, Bushmills in June 2021, where they observed mounds of controlled waste that had been unlawfully deposited in a field.
The deposit reportedly included materials such as soil, clay, stone, tarmac, plastics, and construction and demolition waste.
During an additional visit paid by the officers in March 2022, further controlled waste had been added since the officer’s initial visit.
The farmer admitted to owning and operating the site when he was interviewed under caution by NIEA officers, following their observations.
Chestnutt pleaded guilty to the breach of two offences under the Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997, during his initial hearing at the Antrim Crown Court on October 8, 2024, DAERA reported.
The department also indicated that an additional undisclosed offence by the farmer had been “left on the books”, which according to DAERA, can be reactivated at a later stage, subject to permission from the crown court or the court of appeal in Northern Ireland.
Chestnutt was subsequently fined £3,000 by the judge for each charge, which included the following:
- The deposit of controlled waste or knowingly causing the deposit of controlled waste in or on any land except under and in accordance with a waste management license;
- The keeping of controlled waste or knowingly keeping controlled waste in or on any land except under and in accordance with a waste management license.
A spokesperson for the NIEA said: “It is important for companies and individuals alike to understand and abide by all forms of environmental legislation and recognise the duty of care they have towards our environment and public health.
“Acknowledging and understanding our environmental duty of care will benefit all members of society and positively contribute towards a crime free waste sector.’’
