Environmental charity windfall after companies’ recycling errors
Firms have agreed civil sanctions with the Environment Agency
Companies handing over almost £90,000 following recycling blunders
- Environment Agency enforcement action leads to civil sanctions for 3 companies
- £87,000 to go to environmental charities
- Benefits include species and habitats enhancement, community engagement, and improved visitor access to natural environments
A tech firm, a drinks company and a home furnisher will pay a total of almost £87,000 to good causes after they failed to comply with packaging waste regulations designed to protect the environment.
Softcat plc, a well-known IT infrastructure and services provider based in Marlow, has pledged £35,803.99 to the National Trust, after failing to comply with the law for more than a decade.
Meanwhile, alcoholic drinks giant Sazerac UK Limited, based in Hampton Wick, will contribute £45,088.49 to Surrey Wildlife Trust after failure to comply from 2017 to 2019.
And iconic furniture name La-Z-Boy UK Limited, based in Maidenhead, will give £5,736.89 to Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust, due to non-compliance in 2020.
All 3 recognised that they had failed to comply with the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007 (as amended), which ensure that businesses fund the recycling of the packaging waste that they place on the UK market.
By failing to register with a compliance scheme and to take reasonable steps to recover and recycle packaging waste, the businesses also avoided paying a charge based on how much packaging they got through in the same period.
The money paid to the charities will help provide and protect local wildlife habitats and wetland areas, and improve people’s access to and enjoyment of these places.
Environment Agency senior technical officer Jake Richardson said:
Any company handling more than 50 tonnes of packaging a year, and with a turnover of above £2 million, must register with the Environment Agency or a packaging compliance scheme, and meet their responsibilities for recycling waste packaging.
If companies fail to meet their obligations under environmental law, we will take action to ensure that they change their ways.
The Environment Agency accepted proactive enforcement undertaking offers from all 3 companies, a type of civil sanction which allows businesses to make amends while demonstrating how they will comply with the law in future.
The companies each agreed to register with a compliance scheme, revise internal processes and assign a responsible person.
Mr Richardson added:
The companies also agreed to take measures to ensure they comply with their packaging waste responsibilities in the future.
As well as the charitable contributions, they paid the Environment Agency’s full costs.
We’re satisfied that they won’t repeat their mistakes.
The Environment Agency uses enforcement undertakings for suitable cases, in accordance with its enforcement and sanctions policy. It reserves prosecutions for cases where evidence shows high levels of culpability and serious environmental harm.
Anyone who spots pollution should report it to the Environment Agency via its free 24-hour incident hotline: 0800 80 70 60.