A man in the U.K. was issued a suspended jail sentence in December after failing to rectify charges of operating an illegal waste site on his property.
According to a press release by the British government, Dominic Allan, 30, of Old Swarland in Northumberland, appeared at Newcastle Magistrates' Court on December 19. Allan faced charges of operating a waste operation without the required environmental permit.
An investigation by the Environment Agency found a wide range of waste on his property, including scrap vehicles, toxic plasterboard, household waste, and other construction or demolition waste.
Previously, Allan had told the Environment Agency that he didn't know he needed a permit for the waste activity.
"But from his history, he knew full well it was illegal," Gary Wallace, the area environment manager at the Environment Agency, said.
In 2021, Allan was sentenced to prison for 12 months for operating an unlawful waste site without authorization. He was given 18 months to clear the trash but never did.
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Subsequent visits by Environment Agency officers to the property in August 2024, October 2024, and March 2025 revealed that Allan had not only ignored the orders but had also been burning some of the waste on his property.
Inadequate trash disposal can be harmful to surrounding residents and damaging to the environment.
Burning waste — especially construction and demolition waste — can be dangerous to human health. Construction waste, including paint, sealants, and engineered wood, such as particleboard or plywood, can contain volatile organic compounds.
VOCs are highly toxic gases that can have long- and short-term adverse health effects, including irritation to sensory organs and airways, and damage to the central nervous system, according to the American Lung Association.
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$200 or more 💰 Toxic residue from burned waste can contaminate the soil and make its way into the local water supply, endangering humans and wildlife that depend on water for survival.
Allan told officers that he was not operating a waste site and was no longer accepting trash, but his social media contained posts advertising waste collection services and scrap vehicle parts for sale in the summer.
"Allan had a blatant disregard for the law with no thought about the impact of his actions," Wallace said.
Instead of instinctively throwing your waste out, consider donating still-usable items to secondhand shops or to local organizations. You can also recycle your old belongings, keeping them out of the landfill while giving them a second life.
"We'll continue to take action against those involved in waste crime to protect people and the environment," Wallace said.
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