Fines for council failing to secure old landfill

A council whose failure to secure an old landfill resulted in vandals getting onto the site and starting fires has been fined for its lapse.


In a court hearing last week Aberdeen City Council admitted failing to erect and maintain a suitable perimeter fence and not ensuring all boreholes were protected against trespassers.

The county sheriffs fined the council £6,600 for its lapse.

The problems were discovered after officers from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) inspected the site following reports of repeated vegetation fires.

The inspections took place in June last year and subsequently SEPA wrote to the council asking for details of how the site was to be secured to stop members of the public from entering.

A further inspection of the site on 30 August 2005 again revealed boreholes with no padlocks and fencing in disrepair.

“People had been able to gain access to the site and fires had occurred as a result of this,” said a SEPA spokesperson.

“SEPA had concerns regarding the environmental impact of such fires as well the dangers posed to public safety through a lack of security measures at the site.

“Even though the site is not operational, there is still a waste management licence in force which has to be complied with. Not only was health and safety compromised but there were also a number of breaches of the waste management licence conditions.

“The site should have been made as secure as possible to deter anyone from accessing it.”

Sam Bond

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