Salisbury man fined for running illegal scrap metal business
Warren Chant, 34, admitted environmental offences
A Salisbury man's been fined for running an illegal and unlicensed scrap metal business.
34 year old Warren Chant from Westwood Road has been prosecuted by Wiltshire Council.
He admitted transporting waste without a waste carriers' licence and operating an unlicensed and illegal scrap metal business.
He's been handed a fine of £514, including court costs, by Salisbury Magistrates.
More punishments to come
Mr Chant's co-defendant in the case, Steven Dickel, who's 38 and also from Westwood Road in Salisbury, appeared before magistrates at the same hearing.
He admitted operating an unlicensed and illegal scrap metal business, and failing to produce a waste carriers' licence.
That's now been referred to Salisbury Crown Court for a 'proceeds of crime' and sentencing hearing at a later date.
Cllr Laura Mayes, Deputy Leader of Wiltshire Council, said:
“We will continue to target illegal scrap and waste collectors as part of our zero-tolerance approach to environmental crimes in Wiltshire.
“Illegal waste collectors are doing untold damage to the environment. They undercut legitimate businesses, and they have not been checked by HMRC to ensure they are paying the correct taxes.
“I would urge administrators of any local social media buy and sell groups to check anyone advertising their services is licensed by the Environment Agency for a waste carrier licence, or Wiltshire Council for a scrap metal licence. People could receive a fine of up to £400 for giving their waste to illegal waste collectors.”
Advice to find a legitimate scrap metal dealer
Before using any scrap metal collector, Wiltshire Council say we should take the following steps:
- View the company's upper tier waste carriers' licence
- View the company's scrap metal dealer licence
- Check that their hologram photocard licence is displayed in the vehicle
We're also advised to be extremely cautious of 'cash for scrap' operators in Wiltshire.
It is illegal for these transactions to take place using cash, and this should serve as an early warning sign that the business is not legitimate.
If you're aware of an illegal scrap metal business, we can report it to Wiltshire Council through the MyWilts system.