14/12/2005
- The Environment Agency is urging all local authorities
to check that their recyclable waste is exported legally.
The call comes as the Environment
Agency confirms that it is investigating 11 cases involving
the alleged illegal export of waste.
Dr Helen Phillips, Director Environment
Agency Wales, said: "Many of us do our bit for the
environment by recycling as much of our rubbish as we
can. Its absolutely essential that we can be sure that
when we put our glass and paper into the recycling box
that it does end up being properly recycled.
"There is a legitimate and growing
market abroad for recyclables, but there are rules to
ensure that it’s done properly. We will continue to work
with Government and industry to raise awareness of the
rules and ensure that workable standards are in place.
Although none of the cases currently being investigated
involve waste from Wales, we are urging local authorities
and waste managers to check that waste collected for recycling
is dealt with properly."
Under the rules, it’s illegal to export
waste for disposal but it can be sent abroad for recycling.
The maximum penalty for exporting waste illegally is an
unlimited fine or up to 5 years in prison.
The Environment Agency is tackling illegal waste exports
by:
targeted enforcement at UK ports including
the detention and inspection of more than 350 vehicles
and containers
working closely with enforcers around the world including
in Indonesia and Hong Kong to share intelligence
informing industry and local authorities on the rules,
what they need to do to meet them and what we’ll do if
they don’t
auditing the standards at recycling facilities in England
and Wales to check where their recyclables are going for
export that they are dealt with properly
Dr Helen Phillips continued "We
don’t want to stop legitimate recycling but we will come
down hard on anyone we catch breaking the rules." |