Co-ordination Group Publications was prosecuted under 10 charges of failing to carry out its producer responsibility to ensure that its obligation for packaging waste recycling was carried out.
The company, which has a turnover above 5 million a year, was also ordered by magistrates in Kendal to pay 1,245 in costs to the Environment Agency, which brought the case to court.
Under the packaging regulations, companies that handle packaging waste in any capacity and are large enough to meet the threshold have to pay for their share of UK packaging recycling and recovery.
Speaking for the prosecution on behalf of the Environment Agency, Estelle Palin told the court that companies like Coordination Group have high enough turnover and handle significant amounts of packaging and must register with the Environment Agency. The must then make arrangements to recover and recycle certain amounts of packaging waste each year, or join a registered compliance scheme to do it on their behalf.
Directive
Companies with a turnover above 2 million, or which handle more than 50 tonnes of packaging a year, are obligated under the regulations, designed to help the UK meet the European Packaging Directive.
Obligated companies must be accredited with the Environment Agency and must pay for their share of UK packaging recovery targets by purchasing sufficient packaging waste recovery notes (PRNs), either themselves or via compliance schemes.
Based on information provided by the company itself and the packaging waste compliance scheme that it has now joined – Wastepack – Coordination Group had saved itself 5,800 in fees and recycling costs by not complying with the regulations from 2000 to 2002.
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