Crime doesn't pay, especially if you get caught.
Liam Winters, a former waste operator, provided a striking reminder of that idiom after a sizable fine was recently added to his already considerable punishment for illegal dumping.
The BBC reported on the 48-year-old's recent agreement to pay back £78,835 (about $106,128 USD) to taxpayers in the next three months. The arrangement adds insult to injury for Winters, as he already faces a 17-month jail sentence for his crimes.
Winters certainly earned the punishment given the scope of his crimes that occurred between 2015 and 2017. They took place at three sites, with Codicote Quarry in Hertfordshire representing an especially stark example.
Barry Russell, environment manager for the Environment Agency's Hertfordshire branch, told the BBC that "approximately 200,000 cubic metres (about seven million cubic feet) of household, commercial and industrial waste, as well as electrical items, car parts, furniture, food packaging, wood and metal" were illegally disposed of there.
"It could have filled the Royal Albert Hall nearly three times over," Russell pointed out.
Anstey Quarry was another site where the spokesperson said Winters disregarded Agency instructions and stacked up an enormous amount of materials illegally.
"The piles of waste at Anstey reached 20 metres (over 65 feet) into the sky, the height of five double-decker buses," Russell remarked.
Winters didn't operate the schemes alone, as his brother Mark has also received a year-long jail sentence. A judge hasn't yet ruled on an appropriate fine for him.
Unfortunately, similar incidents of illegal dumping are common around the world. They can be small-time, like a neighbor improperly disposing of their lawn and tree waste. However, as the Winters brothers show, they can scale up to businesses that can do an enormous amount of harm.
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Definitely 👍 Improperly disposed rubbish can leak concerning microplastics into the water and soil, release toxins into the environment, and attract vermin.
It's heartening to see consequences for offenders, which can hopefully provide some real deterrence that will protect the planet. Individuals can take action if they see examples of it in their community by reporting it to the authorities.
After the high-priced settlement, Russell remained resolute that those who engage in illegal dumping wouldn't be able to profit for long.
"We are determined that waste operators who break the law don't benefit from their crimes," Russell declared.
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