Bushmills man fined £6000 on waste offences

Mr Chestnutt pleaded guilty to two waste offences on 8 October 2024, a further offence being left on the books.

He was fined £3,000 on each charge. The offences related to the unauthorised deposit of controlled waste at a site controlled by Mr Chestnutt on the Cabragh Road, Bushmills, County Antrim.

In June 2021, Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) officers inspected the site on the Cabragh Road, Bushmills, and observed that mounds of controlled waste had been unlawfully deposited in a field.

This deposit included waste such as soil, clay, stone, tarmac, plastics and construction and demolition waste. During a further visit in March 2022, officers observed that more controlled waste had been added.

Mr Chestnutt was interviewed under caution by NIEA officers where he admitted owning and operating the site.

A NIEA spokesperson said: “It is important for companies and individuals alike to understand and abide by all forms of environmental legislation and recognise the duty of care they have towards our environment and public health.

“Acknowledging and understanding our environmental duty of care will benefit all members of society and positively contribute towards a crime free waste sector.’’