A COACH company which disposed of business waste at a household recycling centre has been fined.

Keith Buchanan, 66, trading as Buchanan Coaches, of Stretton Sugwas was found guilty of failing in his duty of care to transfer his business waste to an authorised person and securing the transfer with a written description of the waste at Hereford Magistrates Court.

The waste included hazardous waste oil from commercial vehicles.

Officers from Herefordshire Council’s Community Protection Team found evidence of coach and commercial vehicle parts at Hereford Household Recycling Centre and investigations led officers to Buchanan Coaches.

It was then determined that Buchanan did not have any documentation to show he had transferred his commercial waste to an authorised person between February 20, 2015 and February 20, 2017.

He was fined £500 and ordered to pay costs of £1,518.88, as well as a victim surcharge of £50.

The council said all businesses must ensure appropriate duty of care measures are in place so the waste they produce is disposed of correctly.

Businesses must also have documentation to show who they have transferred the waste to and keep those records for at least two years.

Household recycling centres may only be used by residents in Herefordshire wishing to dispose of their own household waste. The deposit of commercial waste (any waste associated with a business) is unlawful at these centres and can result in prosecution.

Herefordshire Council’s Community Protection Team will investigate unlawful waste disposal and fly tipping cases that are reported online at

www.herefordshire.gov.uk/flytipping