FOUR people from Aberarth are facing charges of operating an unlicensed waste facility and treating waste in a way that could cause pollution or harm to human health.

Jeanette Mary Davies, 67, of Arosfa in Aberarth; Kenneth Lionel Meirion Davies, 76, of The Smithy, Bwlchblaencannog in Aberarth; Evan George Evans, 59, of Blaencrown, Aberarth; and 42-year-old Phillip Mark Lear, of The Farm House, Gorswen in Pennant, all appeared before Aberystwyth magistrates to answer charges from Natural Resources Wales.

All four are charged with operating a regulated facility without an environmental permit between 1 June 2011 and 29 February 2016. They each face a second charge of treating controlled waste in a manner likely to cause pollution or harm to human health between the same dates.

No pleas have been entered to the charges, but magistrates heard that NRW wanted the charges to be heard in crown court. No objection was raised by defence solicitors, so magistrates declined jurisdiction in the case.

The four defendants were released on unconditional bail until a hearing at Swansea Crown Court on Friday, 21 July.