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Fforestfach tyre fire: Tyre plant fire bosses admit dumping | Fforestfach tyre fire: Tyre plant fire bosses admit dumping |
(35 minutes later) | |
Two company directors have admitted storing more than 5,500 tonnes of waste tyres without a permit at a factory where a fire burned for three weeks. | Two company directors have admitted storing more than 5,500 tonnes of waste tyres without a permit at a factory where a fire burned for three weeks. |
The blaze at the former Mettoys site in Fforestfach, Swansea, happened in 2011. | The blaze at the former Mettoys site in Fforestfach, Swansea, happened in 2011. |
Globally Greener Solutions directors Scott Phillips, Dorothy Thomas and Peter Thomas were due to stand trial at Swansea Crown Court on Monday. | Globally Greener Solutions directors Scott Phillips, Dorothy Thomas and Peter Thomas were due to stand trial at Swansea Crown Court on Monday. |
But Phillips and Peter Thomas changed their pleas while charges against Dorothy Thomas were dropped. | But Phillips and Peter Thomas changed their pleas while charges against Dorothy Thomas were dropped. |
The court heard that the likely cause of the fire was accidental although arson could not be excluded. | |
The blaze cost £1.6m to tackle and remove the waste, while it will cost a further £1m to dispose of the rest of the tyres which are currently being stored at Tata Steel in Port Talbot. | The blaze cost £1.6m to tackle and remove the waste, while it will cost a further £1m to dispose of the rest of the tyres which are currently being stored at Tata Steel in Port Talbot. |
Phillips, 44, from Neath, and Peter Thomas, 67, from Swansea, pleaded guilty to charges of knowing or causing controlled waste to be deposited without an environmental permit. | Phillips, 44, from Neath, and Peter Thomas, 67, from Swansea, pleaded guilty to charges of knowing or causing controlled waste to be deposited without an environmental permit. |
Sentencing will take place on 29 July. | Sentencing will take place on 29 July. |
Mary Youell from Natural Resources Wales described the guilty pleas as a good result. | |
"It shows that we at Natural Resources Wales as the regulator, will take action, investigate reports and we'll secure convictions against this illegal activity," she said. | |
"It poses a risk to the environment, people's health and it also undermines legitimate businesses who do comply with the regulations... | |
"The waste material as a result of the fire has been kept deposited very securely. It's properly regulated so it's very safe now but there was a cost to that." |