Belleville, Ontario Company Fined $13,000 for Illegal Tire Dump

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment has announced a major fine for a Belleville-area tire recycler. Ian Herd has been fined a total $13,000, after being convicted of one count under the Environmental Protection Act (EPA). Herd is the Director and Administrator of a numbered company, 1358208, operating as GRS Recycling Inc. in Belleville. GRS is reported to deal in the recycling of used tires as one of its ventures. A certificate of approval issued by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE) is required if an operator intends to operate a waste disposal site that stores in excess of 5,000 used tire units. The court heard that on October 31, 2001, MOE became aware of a large pile of tires being stored on property located at A&B Craig Road, R.R. #6 in Belleville. Upon further review, MOE learned that the property was leased by Herd for the purpose of storing and recycling used tires. Between December, 2001 and July, 2002, it is estimated that some 10,956 tire units had accumulated on the leased property. No MOE certificate had been issued authorizing Herd to operate the waste disposal site.
By illegally operating a waste disposal site, Herd contravened Section 27 (1)(b) of the EPA and was fined $13,000, with thirty days to pay. The court also ordered Herd, under Section 190 of the EPA, to remove all tires deposited on the Belleville property using a MOE approved carrier and deposit them at a MOE approved waste disposal site, and to provide to the District Manager, Belleville District Office, MOE, within 90 days, evidence of the MOE-approved transport and deposit of the tires.
Justice of the Peace Marilyn Robbins listened to evidence and imposed the fine on March 16, 2004 in the Ontario Court of Justice in Belleville.