Big bill for illegal exports

A UK recycler has been ordered to pay the equivalent of EUR 1 million for unlawfully exporting ten shipping containers of waste to Poland.

Roydon Resource Recovery and a director Wilfred Sumner were also convicted of a ‘disregard for proper management protocols’. The prosecution came after the containers, containing 247 tonnes of refuse, were sent to Poland under the guise of the ‘green list’ process.

The consignment was reported to be clean plastics sorted from household waste but instead it was mostly plastics which were unsuitable for recycling. The waste was also heavily contaminated with other household items including electrical items, nappies and oil canisters.

Not for recycling

Roydon, part of a group of recycling companies of which Sumner is a director, gained significant financial advantage through these actions. At Manchester Crown Court, Roydon Resource Recovery was ordered to pay a total fee of nearly £870 000 (EUR 1.014 million), including £811 181 proceeds of crime penalties. Sumner was also ordered to pay a further £10 000.

The prosecution was brought by the UK regulator, the Environment Agency, which found the company exported waste to be incinerated as fuel with no intention of it being recycled.