Head Office Press Office
- 11-Jul-2007 - New rules affecting the
export of waste for recycling such as paper,
cardboard and certain types of plastic and
metal come into force on July 12.
The new rules set out by the European Commission
mainly affect businesses which export what
is known as "green list" waste.
Green list is used to describe the clean
single types of waste that pose little risk
to the environment and can be legitimately
exported to countries that want them for
recycling.
Liz Parkes, Head of Waste for the Environment
Agency said;
"Millions of tonnes of recyclable
materials are shipped overseas every year
and what many people may not realise is
there a legitimate and growing trade for
these types of waste which are viewed as
valuable resources in many countries.
"From 12 July it will be the responsibility
of recyclable waste exporters to check that
the country they are exporting to is happy
to receive the recyclable waste and if so,
under what conditions.
"The new rules are complex and we
are providing clear, simple guidance to
the many Green List waste exporters and
shipping companies who will be affected
by the new regulations.
"We are aware that some countries
haven’t yet confirmed to the Commission
what waste they will accept after 12 July.
However, we are working with Government,
exporters and shipping brokers to make sure
that legitimate green list waste can continue
to be exported to countries who still want
it.
"Getting this new process right means
we can focus our efforts on pursuing those
who have no regard for the law and try and
export mixed, poor quality waste onto countries
that don’t want it."
Under existing rules many types of low
hazard waste can be freely exported to many
countries to be recycled under what are
known as "Green List" regulations.
After the 12 July the Green list regulations
are changing. Businesses will need to check
if the waste they are planning to export
is:
Prohibited
Notifiable - proposed movement of waste
must be pre-notified to the relevant authorities
in all concerned countries and prior written
permission obtained before the waste is
moved.
Green List - proposed movements don’t need
to be pre-notified and don’t need prior
permission before going ahead but do need
to comply with specified information and
contract requirements.
Liz Parkes continued: "Some of the
rules coming in on the 12 July also affect
businesses that import or export hazardous
waste, or ship non-hazardous wastes to non-OECD
countries. Notification controls apply in
these situations, which means applying to
the Environment Agency with the relevant
fee and putting a financial guarantee in
place to make sure enough money is available
to deal with the waste if things go wrong,
including the cost of returning the waste
to the UK.
More information on all the new rules that
come into force on 12 July can be found
in the Environment Agency guide on our website:
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/wasteshipments
+ More
Catalogue Company brought to book for neglecting
recycling duties
Tim Abbott - 9-Jul-2007 - A catalogue company
selling products for kitchen, homes, gardens,
and gifts has been ordered to pay £22,727.66
for failing to protect and invest in the
environment.
Scotts of Stow Ltd, based on Crompton Road
Groundwell in Swindon, Wiltshire, pleaded
guilty to five charges of failing to register
with the Environment Agency as a producer
of packing.
The company also pleaded guilty to five
charges of failing to meet its requirements
to recover and recycle packaging waste between
2001 and 2005. Seven similar offences between
1997 and 2000 were taken into consideration.
Magistrates fined the company £13,171.66
for failing to recover and recycle and to
pay costs of £1,970. The company was
also ordered to pay the Environment Agency
£7,586 in compensation for failing
to register.
Scotts of Stow were contacted as part of
the Environment Agency’s annual checks on
compliance with these regulations. Once
they became aware of their obligations the
company contacted a compliance scheme to
ensure future compliance.
Environment Officer Sue Gebbels said: "This
prosecution serves as a reminder to all
businesses to ensure that compliance with
environmental legislation is not overlooked.
"Businesses throughout the packaging
life-cycle, from producers of the raw materials
used to make packaging, to sellers of packaged
goods, have an obligation to minimise it’s
the environmental impact of the packaging.
The regulations aim to encourage the reduction,
recovery and recycling of packaging and
to ensure that year on year less packaging
goes into landfill. The money raised from
compliance with this legislation goes directly
to the recycling industry and a consequence
of Scotts of Stow’s failure meant that there
was less investment in the recycling industry
than there should have been.
"Companies have a duty to ensure that
they are complying with the legislation
and if they are unsure they should contact
us for advice or face similar financial
consequences."
The company, which sells its goods through
catalogues and the internet, has undergone
massive growth since its formation in 1997,
with profits increasing from £14.5m
to £38m in 2006. Under the Producer
Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste)
Regulations 2005, businesses with an annual
turnover in excess of £2 million and
handling more than 50 tonnes of packaging
each year, including wood, aluminium, steel,
cardboard and plastic, must be registered
with the Environment Agency or a compliance
scheme.
Each company must also provide evidence
of payment for the recovery and recycling
of a specified proportion of packaging waste
each year, a measure designed to ensure
that year on year, less packaging goes into
landfill sites. However, many companies
remain unaware of their responsibilities
until the Environment Agency gets in touch.
The Producer Responsibility (Packaging
Waste) Regulations were originally implemented
in 1997 as a result of the EU Packaging
Directive. The regulations are designed
to make companies assess the amount of packaging
they use and, where possible, limit the
amount used. For the packaging remaining,
companies have a responsibility to invest
in the recycling industry.
The amount of recovery and recycling is
dependent on the type of activity the company
performs on the packaging and the tonnage
handled. As the majority of companies are
unable to take back their packaging, a system
was set up whereby they purchase Packaging
Recovery Notes (PRNs) or Packaging Export
Recovery Notes (PERNs) to the value of their
obligation.
The money from these PRNs/PERNs is used
by the reprocessors of the packaging to
improve the efficiency of their process,
to expand their facilities, and assist with
the funding of domestic recycling schemes,
etc.
