TWO brothers have been ordered to pay more than £30,000 after causing substantial contamination and fire-risk to the environment.

Christopher and Bob Black were caught storing wood waste without the correct authorisation from the Environment Agency [EA] at Padworth Saw Mill in Aldermaston.

The pair stored 16,800 cubic metres of waste wood without a permit and the breach was first uncovered by the EA in 2011.

They were fined £1,230 each by Reading Magistrates' Court and costs of nearly £14,000 each were awarded in favour of the EA.

Tom Harris, an environment officer with the EA, said: “I visited the site on numerous occasions but the defendants continued to ignore our advice on how to comply with their exemptions and run a site within the rules. The large volume of waste wood on site posed a serious fire risk that would have a significant impact on the local community.

“Their actions showed blatant disregard for local residents and businesses, and put the environment at risk. Waste crime undermines legitimate operations, so we work closely with businesses to help them comply with the law.

“In cases like this where individuals consistently operate illegally, we have no hesitation in prosecuting them, as we want to make sure that waste crime doesn’t pay.”

The court heard how the waste at the Padworth site was not originally put there by the defendants but, as the current land owner, responsibility for the ongoing waste storage ultimately laid with them.

Throughout the whole investigation, the Black brothers understood they had responsibility for the wood and knew they needed to deal with it.

The defendants continued to ignore EA instructions to work with them to clear the site.

They now have 12 months to clear the wood, or they could face further punishment.

As well as the huge fines and costs, the brothers were also made to pay a victim surcharge of £123 each.