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The case led by the Environment Agency was concluded at Lincoln Crown Court on Friday 16 May 2025.

The ruling was made against Long Sutton-based Platinum Group Metals Recycling Ltd and director Edvars Stancik.

Recorder John Hardy KC ruled that Stancik, 30, had made a benefit of 拢4,312,925.70 from his criminal activity while his company made a benefit of 拢4,344,827.60.

The court heard assets of 拢495,280.88 were available from the company made up of cash in a bank account and seized catalytic converters.

Stancik鈥檚 only asset was 拢30,934.16 from equity in a house he sold before his trial, the court was told.

Recorder Hardy ordered those amounts to be confiscated and ruled that 拢100,111.65 should be paid to the Environment Agency to cover costs.

At a previous hearing (4 September 2024), the company and Stancik were found guilty of running an illegal waste site at Long Sutton.

The court heard that, between December 2019 and September 2021, Stancik, 30, acted as a director of the company and traded in catalytic convertors on a colossal scale.聽

A jury heard that neither Stancik nor his company had obtained an environmental permit before buying and selling thousands of catalytic converters.

Stancik stored the devices in containers in Long Sutton and were stored in an irresponsible manner giving rise to health risks.

A warrant for the arrest of Stancik, who is believed to be living in Lithuania, has been issued. 聽He has been given 3 months to pay or face 5 years in jail.

The Environment Agency continues to investigate ways of retrieving further proceeds.

Peter Stark, Environment Agency Enforcement Team Leader, said:

鈥淲aste criminals should be aware how seriously we take their offending, including the benefit they obtain from their illegal activities.

鈥淥ffenders won鈥檛 get away with concealing information or their assets, and due to the EA鈥檚 hard work, justice has been served.

鈥淲aste crime can be a blight on the environment, communities and to legitimate businesses.

鈥淲e will continue to work with professional partners like Lincolnshire Police in this case to prevent, disrupt, investigate, and stop waste offending.

鈥淚f anyone suspects that a company or its directors are doing something wrong, contact our 24/7 hotline on 0800 80 70 60 or report it anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.鈥�

The charges:

Platinum Group Metals Recycling Ltd.

• Operating a regulated facility, namely a waste operation, otherwise than in accordance with an environmental permit, contrary to Regulation 12(1)(a) and 38(1)(a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016. (Relating to the site at St Thomas Court, Long Sutton).

• Operating a regulated facility, namely a waste operation, otherwise than in accordance with an environmental permit, contrary to Regulation 12(1)(a) and 38(1)(a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016. (Relating to the site at Lime Walk, Long Sutton)

• Keeping controlled waste contrary to section 33(1)(c) and (6) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.) (Relating to the site at St Thomas Court, Long Sutton)

• Keeping controlled waste contrary to section 33(1)(c) and (6) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. (Relating to the site at Lime Walk, Long Sutton)

Edvars Stancik

• Causing a company to operate a regulated facility otherwise in accordance with an environmental permit contrary to Regulation 12(1)(a) and 38(1)(a) by virtue of Regulation 41(1) and 41(3) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016. (Relating to the site at St Thomas Court, Long Sutton)

• Causing a company to operate a regulated facility otherwise in accordance with an environmental permit contrary to Regulation 12(1)(a) and 38(1)(a) by virtue of Regulation 41(1) and 41(3) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016. (Relating to the site at Lime Walk, Long Sutton)

• Causing a company to commit an offence, contrary to section 33(1)(c), 33(6) by virtue of s157(1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. (Relating to the site at St Thomas Court, Long Sutton)

• Causing a company to commit an offence, contrary to section 33(1)(c), 33(6) by virtue of s157(1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. (Relating to the site at Lime Walk, Long Sutton)

Background Information

Catalytic converters are components in car exhausts.聽 They contain small amounts of precious metals contained within a metal case making them valuable.

However, catalytic converters also contain carcinogenic fibres which, if ingested, can cause serious and irreversible lung disease.聽

The dangerous fibres can attach to shoes and clothing and be transported from one place to another.

聽It is therefore extremely important that catalytic converters are handled only under the strict conditions of an environmental permit, supervised by the Environment Agency.