An illegal scrap metal merchant from Workington, United Kingdom, has been fined 16,000 British pounds (US$26,000), and order to pay costs of 15,000 pounds (US$24,000) at Workington Magistrates, in a prosecution brought against him by the Environment Agency.
James Lancaster pleaded to four charges relating to illegally storing end of life vehicles and other scrap metal on four sites at Lowther Rd. and Lawrence Street, Workington.
The Court heard that Lancaster advertises as Clay Flats Auto Spares and is the holder of a license issued by the EA at a site in Lowther Rd., which authorizes him to keep scrap metal and end of life vehicles and their parts.
However, Lancaster had also been collecting and keeping an estimated 200 vehicles and other scrap metal spread over four unlicensed sites. Many of the vehicles had been taken to Lancaster by their owners to be scrapped. There was potential for hazardous waste to leak from the vehicles and cause damage to the local environment. By running unlicensed sites, Lancaster was also undercutting legitimate business in the area and gaining an unfair competitive advantage.