Essex Recycling Firm Slapped with £20K Fine for Dumping Tonnes of Illegal Waste
An Essex waste company and its bosses have been hit with hefty fines after illegally storing tonnes of wood and carpet waste at a Braintree site.
Illegal Waste Dumping Exposed at Braintree Site
Renew Recycling (London) Limited flagrantly broke the rules by hoarding large quantities of waste at Straits Mill on Convent Lane, Braintree. Between December 2017 and March 2019, authorities made 24 visits to the site, uncovering a rubbish mess that breached environmental exemptions and posed a serious risk.
Fire Hazard Sparks Alarm
In February 2018, Essex Fire and Rescue crews joined Environment Agency officers at the site, raising alarm bells over a major fire threat. Tests revealed wood piled up was hitting scorching internal temperatures of 65°C—dangerously close to protected woodland. The site didn’t just pose a risk; it actually caught fire twice, in 2021 and 2022, forcing emergency responses.
Ignoring Warnings and Legal Orders
The Environment Agency repeatedly ordered Renew Recycling to clear the non-compliant waste. While the firm briefly cleaned up in March 2018, the mess returned within six weeks. They also failed to keep proper records on where the waste was sent, breaking the law on multiple fronts.
£20,000+ Fines for Company and Directors
At Chelmsford Crown Court on 4 April 2023, Renew Recycling and its directors pleaded guilty to eight counts including illegal waste storage and poor documentation. Directors Simon Levy, 47, from Mill Hill, and David Johnson, 38, from Chelmer Village, were both fined steeply alongside the company.
- Renew Recycling fined £10,500 plus £170 victim surcharge
- Simon Levy fined £7,150 plus £170 victim surcharge
- David Johnson fined £3,900 plus £170 victim surcharge
- Each ordered to pay £12,000 in costs
“We take illegal waste activity very seriously and will take the necessary action to disrupt criminal activity and prosecute those responsible,” said Aaron Scott, Environment Agency manager.
“Renew Recycling and its directors were given advice repeatedly but failed to act.”
His Honour Judge David Turner KC described the site’s environmental risks as “obvious” and “serious,” condemning the situation as having “seemingly descended into a degree of chaos.”
