Grosvenor Waste Management Ltd pleaded guilty to illegally exporting household waste destined for developing countries in South East Asia.
"This successful prosecution shows that we won’t hesitate to pursue companies who export waste illegally," said John Burns, the Environment Agency’s Ports Project manager.
"There is a legitimate and growing market abroad for recyclables, but there are rules covering waste exports."
GWM pleaded guilty to illegally exporting shipments of more than 75 40 foot containers, amounting to about 1.8 million kgs of unsorted household waste to India, China, and Indonesia.
The Environment Agency is responsible for enforcing the regulation of shipments of waste into and out of England and Wales under the Waste Shipment Regulations.
Burns continued: "Under the rules, it’s illegal to export waste for disposal, but it can be sent abroad for recycling.
"However, mixed municipal waste, is subject to stricter controls under the EU Waste Shipment Regulations which mean that we need to be notified and approve of the shipment it before it can go abroad."
The maximum penalty for exporting waste illegally is an unlimited fine or up to 2 years in prison.
GWM pleaded guilty to 6 breaches of the Transfrontier Shipments of Waste Regulations at Maidstone Crown Court and agreed to pay £85K towards the Environment Agency’s costs. The prosecution follows a two-year investigation by the Environment Agency.
The Environment Agency has worked closely with HM Customs, Indonesian Customs and the Dutch environmental regulator, VROM throughout the course of this investigation.
This case is subject to reporting limitations until sentencing. The company will be sentenced on 4 April 2007.
This case was brought under the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations 1994, and was shipped from Grosvenor’s site between November 2004 and May 2005.
The Environment Agency’s investigation involved detaining 15 containers at Southampton destined for China and India.
A further 60 containers planned for shipment to Wuhu in China had been sent via Holland. Of these 53 were intercepted by VROM, the Dutch Environment Authorities and returned by way of a formal request to the Defendant’s site in Crayford.
A further 20 containers were inspected by customs officials in Jakarta Indonesia.