U.K. Agency Raids Company over Illegal Shipments

Officers from the United Kingdom’s Environment Agency (EA), along with police from a number of local cities, raided Baldwin Farm, a suspected illegal waste operator during a raid earlier this month in Upminster, U.K, according to the EA.

The site raided included large numbers of shipping containers without any relevant environmental permits. Previous intelligence sharing between agencies revealed that the site owners had attempted to send waste abroad in the past when shipping containers were traced back to the site.

Officers taking part in the raid found:

• Containers packed with waste electrical and electronic equipment, some without plugs and refrigerators without compressor and pumps; gas cylinders; waste mattress and tires

• Evidence of waste being exported to Africa

• Four stolen vehicles on site

• 16 containers were issued with stop notices preventing waste from being potentially exported abroad illegally.

Carolyn Barnes, who led the operation for the Environment Agency, said, “This is the second time we have targeted Baldwin’s Farm in a multi agency operation since last year. It was first raided in 2009, when Environment Agency officers found evidence of illegal exports. Today’s event was a follow up to check whether the site has become compliant and it seems from what we have found that improvements had been made but it is still not fully compliant.