Calsonic International (Europe) Plc was prosecuted at Llanelli Magistrates court for failing to comply with the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations. The company, based at Felinfoel Llanelli, makes components for the automotive industry and pleaded guilty to one offence under the Packaging Waste Regulations. It was fined a total of 4,500 and Environment Agency Wales, which brought the prosecution, was awarded costs of 350.
The court was told that Calsonic International Europe Plc registered with the Environment Agency as a group of companies in 1999, which included Llanelli Radiators Ltd and Calsonic Automotive Products Ltd, but failed to take reasonable steps to recover and recycle packaging waste. The court was told the reason the company found itself in this position was due to poor management controls. The company has now addressed the situation with the implementation of an ISO 14001 environmental management system.
An Agency spokesperson said: “These regulations ensure that businesses involved in the manufacture, supply and use of packaging share the environmental costs of the recovery and recycling of packaging waste. The Agency is pleased that the company has decided to improve their environmental performance beyond regulatory requirements, adopting plans or management techniques such as those envisaged in ISO 14001 and EMAS wherever possible. This will undoubtedly provide a more robust framework for assessing and managing its environmental impacts in response to changing internal and external requirements.”
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