11/04/2005 - A cinema
operator was ordered to pay more than £6,000
for failing to comply with packaging waste
regulations.
Cine-UK Ltd, of Chapter Street, London, owns
and runs some 35 mulitplex cinemas throughout
the UK and has recently acquired the UGC cinema
chain.
But on 7 April the company pleaded guilty
at Horseferry Road Magistrates Court, for
failing to register with the Environment Agency
as a producer of packaging and for failing
to meet its requirements to recover and recycle
packaging waste during 2001.
Cine-UK was fined £5,000 and ordered
to pay the Environment Agency’s costs of £1,488.84.
Under the Producer Responsibility Obligations
(Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997, companies
with an annual turnover in excess of £2
million and which produce more than 50 tonnes
of packaging each year, including paper, wood,
plastic, aluminium and glass, must be registered
with the Environment Agency or an alternative
compliance scheme. Companies must also provide
evidence of payment for the recovery and recycling
of a specified proportion of packaging waste
each year.
Cine-UK Ltd, started business in 1996, but
was unaware of the existence of the regulations
until September 2001 when its auditors brought
the matter to its attention.
The company employed a consultant to handle
its waste management but there was a misunderstanding
over who was going to deal with the registration
and compliance under the 1997 Regulations.
The company was then put up for sale in May
2002 and the process of registration and compliance
was again overlooked.
In December 2002 Cine-UK finally submitted
registration forms to Wastepack, for the packaging
they handled in 2001. It has been a member
of this compliance scheme ever since.
During the course of 2003 the company came
forward on a voluntary basis and admitted
its breaches to the Environment Agency. It
has co-operated fully with the investigation.
Cine-UK failed to meet its requirements to
recover and recycle waste in 2000 and 2001.
Cine-UK pleaded guilty to the breach in 2001
and the events of 2000 were taken into consideration
by the court.
Based on data supplied by Cine-UK Ltd to
Wastepack they should have recovered and recycled
a minimum of 23 tonnes of packaging waste
in 2000 and 45 tonnes in 2001.
If the company had complied with the law
and joined a compliance scheme for these years
it would only have cost it £993.46
David Eppy, investigating officer for the
Environment Agency said: “This prosecution
serves as a reminder to all businesses to
ensure that compliance with environmental
legislation is not overlooked.
“An admin error is frequently given as the
reason for a company failing to register.
But it’s really no excuse. Company directors
are themselves responsible for ensuring their
business operates legally and this was clearly
not done in this case.”
He continued: “Businesses throughout the
packaging life-cycle, from producers of the
raw materials used to make packaging, to sellers
of goods, all have a legal obligation to minimise
its environmental impact. This is to encourage
the reduction, recovery and recycling of packaging
and to ensure that year on year less packaging
goes into landfill. Cine-UK ignored this and
other companies doing the same also risk facing
financial consequences.”
More information:
Free guidance for business on environmental
legislation and how to comply with it is available
at www.netregs.gov.uk. Companies can also
contact the Environment Agency’s National
Waste Registration Unit for advice and information
on 0870 8 506 506.
