Man faces massive fine after turning home into hazardous junkyard: 'Will continue to press for the strongest possible penalties'

In this case, one man's trash is nobody's treasure. The United Kingdom's Environment Agency slapped some serious fines on a man who was running an unofficial junkyard on his Solihull property, Gov.UK reported.

At the end of March, Birmingham Magistrates Court ruled that Benjamin Summers would be charged fines and costs totaling £7,752.85 ($10,140). They also gave Summers four months to clear out any outstanding trash, which will be subject to further fines and removal.

The Environment Agency became aware of this situation in March 2023 when a local authority notified them. "They provided evidence that approximately 35 cubic metres of mixed waste was being stored on the land, made up of plastics, metal, treated wood and derivatives," the agency reported.

Over the course of seven months, the agency made five visits to the site, each time ordering Summers to clear the garbage. It noted that with each visit, more and more garbage (including plastics, metals, and treated wood) piled up.

Waste management is no industry for amateurs. Municipalities have specific rules and regulations for waste management in order to protect the health of the community and the local environment.

"Current approaches to waste management evolved primarily due to health concerns and the need to control odors," explained the United States Environmental Protection Agency. "In the past, waste often was deposited on land just outside developed areas. Land disposal created problems such as groundwater contamination, methane gas formation and migration, and disease vector hazards."

Watch now: AITA for making my neighborhood look 'trashy'?

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: "The Environment Agency will pursue any person or company that fails to uphold the law to protect nature and will continue to press for the strongest possible penalties."

The UK takes the actions of waste criminals seriously for good measure. MLI Environmental, a hazardous waste management company, said that individuals or companies who improperly dispose of waste can "become a threat to their local communities, harming animals, humans, and the environment. Even with regulations in place, mismanagement of hazardous waste and non-environmentally friendly practices can ultimately lead to pollution, leachate, and contamination."

This is the second recent UK apprehension. In early March, a different waste criminal, who had profited hundreds of thousands from illegal dumping, was charged huge amounts, per Gov.UK. Peter Stark, an Environment Agency Enforcement team leader, commented on the verdict: "Waste criminals should be aware how seriously we take their offending, including the benefit they obtain from their illegal activities. They won't get away with concealing information or their assets, and due to the EA's hard work, justice was served."

Would you want to live in a home made from recycled trash?

Heck yeah 💯