Universal Cycles, operating out of the Festival Leisure Park in Basildon, Essex, is an importer and wholesaler of bicycles.

How the firm, which is officially registered in Nottingham, did not tell the Environment Agency

Legally, the business should have been registered with the Environment Agency and had to recover and recycle a portion of its packaging waste, as well as filing a certificate at the end of each year.

But, the company did not register until 2009 and a routine check by the Environment Agency in November of that year discovered it should have been registered in years before.

Nottingham Magistrates Court heard the firm plead guilty under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 and 2005, and the Environment Act 1995 last Wednesday (October 27).

Prosecuting for the Environment Agency, Jill Crawford, said the company had avoided fees and other costs of £47,941 in the ‘polluter pays’ principle.

In mitigation, the court heard the company had entered an early guilty, had cooperated with the investigation and is now fully compliant.

The firm was fined £34,000 for failing to recycle packaging and ordered to pay £4,394 in costs, along with a £9,140 in compensation.

Luke Walsh

 

Action inspires action. Stay ahead of the curve with sustainability and energy newsletters from edie

Subscribe