Further delay into trial over alleged illegal body storage
The former boss of a clinical waste company accused over the alleged illegal storage of human body parts faces a further wait before he’ll stand trial.
Charges against Garry Pettigrew and Healthcare Environmental Services Limited were first brought in August 2019.
But the case has been delayed repeatedly due to the company going into liquidation and Covid-19.
Trial had been due to take place over two days at Hamilton Sheriff Court last week.
But, after a series of preliminary hearings, Sheriff Alasdair MacFadyen adjourned it until October.
Pettigrew, 55, was managing director of the company which went into liquidation in 2019 after losing NHS contracts in Scotland and England.
Around 150 people worked at the firm’s plant in Shotts, where waste from every hospital in Scotland was stored, processed and incinerated.
Pettigrew and Healthcare Environmental Services Limited have pleaded not guilty to a series of charges under the Pollution Prevention and Control ( Scotland) Regulations 2012.
It’s alleged that large quantities of waste were stored in areas with insufficient capacity and for longer than is permitted by law.
Allegations include that “hazardous clinical waste consisting of recognisable body parts, tissue and organs” was stored at room temperature for more than the 12hour time limit.
Prosecutors also say “anatomical and pathological waste” was kept in refrigerators for longer than the three-month limit.
It’s further claimed that waste was kept in storage when it should have been incinerated.
Another allegation is that the company failed to comply with a Scottish Environment Protection Agency enforcement notice requiring the removal of material.
A separate charge relates to the firm’s premises in Dundee where “large quantities of waste were stored for longer than is allowed”.
Four trailers containing waste were allegedly broken into there.
The offences are said to have taken place between May 2017 and April 2019.
Pettigrew is further accused of hindering or obstructing SEPA officers between November 2018 and February 2019.
It’s alleged he refused them access to the Shotts and Dundee plants, failed to produce copies of documents and failed to hand over a list of company employees.
Pettigrew has previously claimed the company did nothing wrong and blamed a nationwide shortage of incineration capacity and Government inaction for the problems it faced.