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Fourteen companies received civil sanctions from the Environment Agency for failing to register as obligated producers or to take reasonable steps to recycle packaging waste. The company’s made the donations to avoid legal action between January and July 2016. The Woodland Trust received the majority of these contributions – £144,000. Published in August, the list also includes businesses which were imposed on or accepted civil sanctions for environmental offences such as water discharge. The Agency said the list may also include details of enforcement undertakings accepted between August and December 2015, but not previously published. Under Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007, businesses that make or use more than 50 tonnes of packaging per year have a legal obligation to ensure that a proportion of what they place on the market is recovered and recycled. The largest fee paid out for packaging non-compliance (£120,000) was by wine and sherry producer Gonzalez Byass UK. Biscuit producer Bahlsen, fruit and vegetable supplier Cobell, and Hameln Pharmaceuticals all agreed to contribute £39,800, £33,723, and £35,000 respectively. Peter Kellett, director of legal services at the Environment Agency, said: “Enforcement undertakings allow those who commit offences to restore the environment and to take steps to prevent a recurrence. When appropriate, they allow a quicker resolution than a prosecution and help offenders who are prepared to take responsibility for their actions to put things right voluntarily working with their local communities.” |
