WEEE recycler Sunersol has threatened to begin legal proceedings against the Environment Agency, claiming delays in lifting its export ban are jeopardising its business.
The West Yorkshire-based company had its approval to issue recycling evidence for exported waste electricals suspended in May. This follows the Agency alleging that 16 containers of waste which were being exported to Hong Kong under a Sunersol permit contained items that the company was not permitted to export, including hazardous waste.
Following an audit of the company carried out on July 5, Sunersol contacted the Agency to request that its approved exporter status be reinstated, but claims it has yet to receive a response.
The company has threatened to begin legal proceedings against the Agency, claiming that it has failed to provide further information about the suspension of the permits and alleging that it has been targeted by the Agency- which it says has an inconsistent approach to permitting across the country.
Letter
In a letter to the Agency sent on August 1 and released to letsrecycle.com this week, Sunersol director Richard Tang, said: We are extremely frustrated at the lack of response, non-reply to emails and general delay from the Environment Agency in responding to our request for the removal of the Approved Exporter suspension and the information on the TFS suspension.
The delays from the Environment Agency replying to requests are having a commercial impact on the company to the point of jeopardising more than 50 full time jobs. Additionally this is affecting the renewal and issuing new contracts for treatment of WEEE given the stigma of suspension of the AE with no further information the company can provide to our existing and new clients due to the delays from the agency.
Mr Tang also claimed that the company would instruct its lawyers to start proceedings against the Agency if no reply was received by August 10.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: Sunersol broke the TFS regs designed to protect communities and the environment overseas. We are now working with the company to ensure any future exports are compliant.
Heckmondwike
Sunersol Ltd employs 52 full time staff at its registered recycling site in Heckmondwike and at its head office in Mirfield, West Yorkshire. The company carries out pre-treatment on WEEE at the 75,000 tonne per year capacity Heckmondwike site but exports a significant amount of material to China for recycling.
According to the Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce the company which was formed in 2010 has achieved a 3 million turnover to date. It has also submitted plans to build an additional 35,000 sq ft of warehouse space at the Heckmondwike recycling facility, which currently covers 45,000 sq ft.
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