POLICE are continuing to probe a fire at a Newport waste site more than two months on.

The incident affected up to 600 tonnes of landfill type material at Able Skips, on the Leeway Industrial Estate during the afternoon of July 7.

What caused the blaze is currently a mystery, as an investigation by South Wales Fire and Rescue Service was inconclusive as to find its reason of ignition.

Natural Resources Wales, the merged body of the Countryside Council for Wales, Environment Agency and the Forestry Commission said the burnt waste is still there and they continue to monitor it.

“Although we have made emergency works at the site in order to protect the environment, the site remains the responsibility of the landowners,” said a spokesman.

In 2011 NRW estimated a clear up at the site would cost almost £2m due to the illegal activities of the site operators.

At the time, Able Skips’ directors Barry Hermon, 68, of Parc Seymour, Penhow, and Dennis Morgan, 64, of Broad Street Common, Nash, Newport, were both sentenced to 10 months suspended for two years when they appeared at Cardiff Crown Court.

Hermon was also given a 12-month supervision order, and Morgan ordered to complete 200 hours unpaid work.

Both men had previously pleaded guilty one count of treating, keeping, or disposing controlled waste on land in a manner likely to cause pollution of the environment or harm to human health, seven counts of consenting in the commission of an offence, three counts of failing to comply with a condition of a waste management licence, and three counts of failing to comply with a condition of a environmental permit.

The offences related to breaching a waste management licence granted to Able Skips Hire Ltd in 2004, permitting a maximum of 1,010 tonnes of mixed waste, with a maximum height of 2.5metres, to be stored at a site on Nash Mead Industrial Estate, close to Leeway Industrial Estate, Newport.

The Natural Resources Wales spokesman added:

"We have taken action against this company using a variety of different legal tools. This was in an attempt to make them reduce the waste pile on site, which they have failed to do, as well as deal with other illegal activity. However, we are working with our partners to also explore options for the future of the site."