Company directors of Alsager contractors will be prosecuted for unlicensed asbestos disposal

Three company directors are to be prosecuted in May following a two year investigation which saw them accused of unlicensed asbestos removal.

The Health and Safety Executive and Environmental Agency initiated the investigation in 2011 into Alsager Contractors Ltd.

The investigation ran until 2013 whilst supporting evidence was collated.

Accused of carrying out unlicensed asbestos removal are George Talbot, aged 74, and his sons Anthony, aged 50, and Stephen Talbot, aged 44.

Alsager Contractors Ltd have been accused of disposing of hazardous waste incorrectly at their site on Peel Street at Longbridge Hayes industrial estate, posing a risk to the public’s health and safety.

They also are accused of unlicensed asbestos disposal at other sites in Winghey Road, Kidsgrove, and at Pilsworth Industrial estate in Heywood near Bury.

Trio plead guilty at court hearing

At the court hearing at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, all three men admitted to committing offences against the environment.

George Talbot admitted to a total of nine environmental offences.

Meanwhile, Anthony Talbot admitted to eight offences and Stephen Talbot to six offences.

Mark Harris, leading Prosecutor said, “The company operated a permitted site at Peel Street on the Longbridge Hayes Industrial Estate in Newcastle, undertook operations at an unlicensed site nearby, and carried out activities at a distribution park at Pilsworth Road, Heywood, in which asbestos waste was dealt with in a way that created significant contamination from this highly carcinogenic substance.”

“Bags containing asbestos waste were loaded into skips using a mechanical loader, and then crushed down, so creating the risk that the bags would split and the potentially carcinogenic contents released as large volumes of dust.”

“Waste found at the Newcastle site included bags of asbestos with the University of Sheffield branding.”

All three men are disputing the prosecution story, even though they’ve all admitted to the environmental offences.

 

Source of article:-  www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/company-directors-sentenced-over-asbestos-1378436

 

Published Apr 03, 2018