A waste transfer station near Sittingbourne, Kent, has been stripped of its environmental permit by the Environment Agency after persistently failing to meet regulatory standards. BR Skip Hire, run by Matthew Butler, was found to be operating unsafely, posing significant risks of pollution and fire to both the business premises and the surrounding community and countryside.
For over a year, the Environment Agency had been in regular contact with Mr Butler, flagging numerous issues at the Rumstead Lane site in Stockbury. Concerns included the excessive storage of waste, the presence of hazardous materials such as old fridges and televisions, and a severe lack of fire prevention measures. Despite frequent inspections by environment officers and extensive correspondence throughout 2024 and 2025, Mr Butler reportedly failed to cooperate or bring the operation into compliance.
The agency’s investigation highlighted fundamental errors in waste storage and a critical absence of adequate fire prevention. Kent Fire and Rescue Service also raised alarms regarding the lack of water supply for fire-fighting and the potential for large waste piles to impede emergency efforts. Matthew Butler had reportedly delegated day-to-day operations to another company, All Skips Ltd, but was deemed responsible for failing to oversee their adherence to environmental law.
Matt Higginson, Environment Manager for the Environment Agency in Kent, emphasised that the agency typically aims to work with operators to achieve compliance. However, he stated that revoking the permit was a necessary step when serious problems, including fire risks and improper waste storage, remained unmanaged. The decision means that neither BR Skip Hire nor All Skips Ltd can continue to manage waste at the Stockbury location.
This enforcement action follows a long history of the site operating outside regulations, with issues reportedly worsening in recent years. The BR Skip Hire/All Skips yard was also featured in a BBC documentary on the waste industry last year, during the Environment Agency's ongoing investigation. The revocation of this permit is not an isolated incident, with the Environment Agency recently taking similar actions against other waste and recycling firms across the region, including Siteclear Ltd in Dorking and Ackworth Recycling in Portsmouth, and is currently seeking to remove a permit from Reclamet Ltd in Birchington.