AN Anglesey Council chief has condemned the stupidity of a resident who left five marine flares in a bin used to collect green garden waste.
Waste disposal experts were shocked when they found the flares, which are highly flammable and have to be disposed of correctly, after the bin’s content were emptied onto the floor of the composting facility at the Island’s Penhesgyn’s green waste recycling facility.
Jonathan Eastwood, acting chief waste management officer at Anglesey Council, condemned the stupidity.
“This is a totally irresponsible act that put many people in danger,” he said.
“Someone has not just put these accidentally into their rubbish bin, they have hidden them under a layer of green waste.
“There are laws concerning how you dispose of marine flares and easy ways of disposing of them safely.
“The reason why this is illegal is that these flares could have gone off, hurting people, setting light to vehicles and equipment and damaging facilities.”
Eagle-eyed Alwyn Jones, the site Manager at Penhesgyn’s green waste recycling facility, spotted the flares in the green waste.
He said: “I was lucky to spot them and remove them as they were about to go through a shredder that could have set them off.
“The drivers of the vehicle were lucky as the flares had escaped being crushed in the compactor in the collection lorry.
“If the flares had been crushed and gone off they would have set light to the hydraulics and any dry materials creating a fire.”
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has a scheme to dispose of expired flares safely and legally.
People wishing to dispose of flares through this scheme should contact HM Coastguard to arrange an appointment.
Information on the scheme can be found at
www.direct.govuk/en/TravelAndTransport/Boatingandtravellingbywater/Usingpleasurecraftsafely/DG_185790.