A man was fined £7,000, plus departmental costs of £453.08 and court costs of £37 at Lisburn Magistrates' Court today for waste offences.

Mr Robert Johnston of Halftown Road, Lisburn, was fined for storing and burning waste without the proper authorisations. He admitted allowing the deposit of waste at this address without planning permission or a waste management licence.

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When officers from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency visited the site in July 2010, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service was there putting out a fire. The mixed waste found on site included metals, carpets, mattresses, paint cans, black bin bags, gas bottles and furniture.

Asbestos waste was also found on site, and is considered hazardous under the Hazardous Waste Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005. The storage of asbestos on site and large scale burning that took place were considered harmful to the environment and to human health.

(CD)