January 25th, 2006

A company in the United Kingdom has been fined nearly 40,000 GBP and ordered to pay costs of over 30,000 GBP for the provision of asbestos contaminated soil, a substance which is a known carcinogenic that can result in a deadly cancer known as mesothelioma as well as a number of other dangerous health problems.

The company is known as Wellings Limited and trades under the name of Pink Skips. The charges against the company were brought by the UK’s Environmental Agency who investigated the matter before imposing the financial punishment on the company.

One of the officers with the Environmental Agency, who was involved with investigating the matter explained the situation, stating: "The company advertised and supplied what they described as screened soil to supply as a product to customers wanting soils, but what they actually supplied was a contaminated waste material."

He added: "The fines imposed by the Magistrate reflect the serious nature of these offences and should serve as a warning to companies to ensure they dispose of waste material in a responsible manner."