Preston company fined £60k for asbestos and tyre offences

Its director, Peter Marquis, has also received a 42-week prison sentence (suspended for 18 months) and 200 hours of unpaid community work.  

The incidents took place at Stanley Lodge Farm in the northwest of Preston.  

Although the EA instructed the company to transfer the waste to a legally permitted facility, Marquis chose to illegally bury the waste tyres.  

The investigation also revealed that between 31 December 2016 and 15 February 2023, PDM Industries operated a facility handling asbestos without the required environmental permit, in violation of environmental protection regulations. The asbestos waste was found in a yard next to Wards House Farm adjacent to Stanley Lodge Farm.  

Environmental specialist Gabriela Boca provided expert testimony and highlighted the controls that should have been in place at the site dealing with asbestos. 

District judge Goodwin concluded that both offences were committed with deliberate intent.  

Marquis and PDM Industries acknowledged the offences and cooperated with the investigation by the EA. The tyres were removed from Stanley Lodge Farm, along with the asbestos waste from the yard next to Wards House Farm.  

Shannon Nicholson, environmental crime team leader at the EA, said: “The sentencing demonstrates the importance of following proper procedures, especially when dealing with hazardous materials like asbestos, which pose serious risks.  

“This case highlights our commitment to holding those who violate environmental regulations accountable. Strict enforcement is essential to prevent harm to the environment.”