A DOLGELLAU contractor and plant hire operator has to pay £6,390 in fines and costs after pleading guilty to breaching environmental regulations by dumping waste materials on his own land.

Trebor Evans, 73, of Y Goedlan, Brithdir, Dolgellau who owns the construction company and plant hire firm Brodyr Evans had dumped around 600 tons of tarmac waste, gully waste, road scrapings on land at Goedland adjacent to the B4416.

Dafydd Roberts, prosecuting for National Resources Wales said that there was part of what had been dumped was not covered by certain exemptions and that was the basis for the case.

Officers for the NRW has been investigation the felling of tress when they came across the mound of 600 tons of waste that contained some metal road scrapings that a permit was required to dump.

The defendant had permission to dump gully waste, tarmacadam, gravel and soil, but not the road sweepings that contained metals.

It was the metals that could cause environmental problems as well as problems to humans and animals, the court heard.

Mr Roberts said that the cost of investigating the case by the NRW was £5,200 with legal costs bringing the total to £6,390.

He also asked for an order to ensure that the land was returned to its original state by 19 March 2016.

Ian Barnes, defending, said that it was the first time that the defendant, a highly respected local man, had appeared in court.

The court heard that a similar charge against the defendants wife, a partner in the business, had been withdrawn and an application for legal costs was made.

Mr Barnes said that the land concerned was boggy and that his client had received permission for up to 95% of what had been dumped.

He said that it had been costly for his company because he had already moved half of what had been dumped.

“It was after all only 5% of what was on the land that should not have been there. It was to be used as a hard standing, and not having that would cause more problems including flooding of adjoining land,” said Mr Barnes.

He added that his client had been compliant to the best of his ability.

Court chairman, Elfed ap Gomer, fined Evans £790 with £6,390 prosecution costs and £79 victim surcharge and made an order that the land should be cleared by 19 March 2016.

“We accept that it was negligent and we have taken into account the defendant good character and that he had received a permit to dump some of the waste,” said the chairman.

An application for defence costs in respect of the withdrawn charge against the defendant wife was granted. No actual cash figure was given.