(Image credit: SEPA)
A UK and European recycling firm has been fined £20,000 following the ‘largest’ single illegal export of household waste from Scotland.
Saica Natur UK Limited pled guilty at Airdrie Sheriff Court to transporting waste collected from households to China.
An investigation by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) found that the waste was wrongly described as ‘waste paper’ and totalled around 1,300 tones.
Upon investigating the 51 shipping containers destined for China, SEPA found electrical and electronic equipment, used nappies, sanitary towels, food contaminated packaging, food, dog excrement, wood, shoes, jewellery, drinks containers and toys.
Terry A’Hearn, chief executive of SEPA, said, “This incident is the most serious breach of the waste shipment regulations, in terms of the quality and quantity of the waste, that SEPA officers have witnessed. SAICA Natur UK Limited has admitted to illegally exporting around 1,300 tons of household waste misdescribed as waste paper to an overseas country in direct contravention of regulations designed to protect the environment and communities.
“These actions also risk undermining Scotland’s efforts to recycle, as stories like this create doubt in the public’s mind that the recycling they put out for collection will be appropriately managed. I hope this prosecution serves as a warning to everyone that SEPA will not allow Scotland’s waste to become someone else’s environmental problem.
“We’re clear in what we expect of businesses of all sizes, from SMEs to specialist companies. Ignorance of the law, and especially well-established international and domestic laws, is no excuse. SEPA will continue to invest significant regulatory effort in monitoring waste exports to ensure compliance and will use a variety of approaches to successfully detect, disrupt and deter illegal waste exports from Scotland.”
