The trial of four men and two companies accused of illegally exporting waste to Brazil was adjourned for six weeks by magistrates at City of London Magistrates Court today (December 2).
Jonathan Coombe, 41, Simon Edwards, 45, Julio Da Costa, 50, Juliano Da Costa, 26, Worldwide Biorecyclables Ltd and Edwards Recycling Ltd appeared before the court, in connection with the alleged export of mixed waste to Brazil between September 2008 and January 2009. 
The court hearing follows a two-year investigation carried out by the Environment Agency, in partnership with Brazilian authorities. It has involved a number of containers suspected of containing mixed household waste, that had been marked as waste plastic.
The investigation was carried out by the Agencys National Enforcement Service branch. Prosecution lawyers outlined the charges against the defendants. They allege that the men were involved with exporting a number of containers of waste from the UK, which were intercepted by customs officials in Brazil.
The lawyers claimed that when customs officers opened the cases they found the contents did not match how they had been described and that the contents were in fact prohibited for export.
Representatives for the prosecution and defence requested that the case be adjourned until January 27 in order for witness statements to be assessed by the defence team.
Register for free to comment