Phil M

I like classics but you need to know both sides of the story. I remember a Triumph breaker who worked from home in a run of the mill street, I dont think I would like to live next door....

If all the cars were declared as SORN and not scrapped with the DVLA then surely he'd have a good argument. If one government department accepts them as off the road not scrapped then another can't disagree - well at least it would strengthen his argument in court!

I bought that too.

Seems to me he just needs to apply for a waste management license. If he maintains good working practice, then he shouldn't have a problem.

The definition of 'waste' is open to a fair amount of interpretation, with one persons waste becoming anothers asset.

As a rule of thumb, The Environment Agency, when it come to waste, seem mainly concerned with the (potential) risk to controlled waters (aquifers, rivers, etc), where as the local environmental health department (inc Contaminanted land) will be mainly concerned with the (potential) risk to the workers, and neighbours.

All councils have to prepare a list of potentially contaminated land, of which garages WILL be listed on, and believe it or not, these 2 departments do actually talk to each other! I suspect the EA are just going through the list, ie doing their job!

What the fellow needs to do is to get the waste EXEMPTION license - ie the 2nd hand metal is EXEMPT from clasiication as waste.

I suspect that as part of this process, he may have to prove that he is responsble, and that the waste that HE produces, ie from draining oil, anti freeze, filters, brake fluid etc. are disposed of properly, ie he doesn't pour them down the drain, or worse, onto the floor!

Sorry, just re-read article and realised he is going to court.

Incidently, if a housing developer wishes to reuse soil from one part of a site n another, then he will need a waste exemption licesne, otherwise he will be guilty of running an illeagal landfill site!

ps I work as a geoenvironmental engineer.


Edited for typos

[Edited on 6/9/06 by Lawnmower]

Best laugh I had about peoples abilities and qualifications is that a bin man has more power than than any mechanic/mot test OR police person. Apparently they are qualified and expert enough to decide after a cursory glance only as to wether ANY vehicle on public access area (even a private un-adopted road) if any vehicle is fit to be around and can slap a removal and scrapping notice on it.

My mum gets her car fixed at Freckleton Rover Centre - the guy is really helpful, knows his stuff and because he has a stock of Rovers to hand he can usually sort any parts she needs quite cheaply. He told her he can keep her car (an L reg 220GTi) going for as long as she wants him to - surely that is environmentally friendly!