A waste exporter has pleaded guilty to illegally exporting waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) from the UK to developing countries in Africa.
At a hearing at Snaresbrook Crown Court last week (6 March), Joe Benson pleaded guilty to exporting four containers of hazardous electrical waste to Ghana, Nigeria, the Ivory Coast, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo between September 2012 and March 2013.
This is Benson’s third such conviction, after having been sentenced for exporting hazardous electrical waste to Nigeria in 2009 and 2010, in breach of the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations 2007 and the European Waste Shipment Regulation 2006.
At the hearing, the judge ‘acknowledged the seriousness of the offences’ and adjourned the case to 30 May for sentencing.
It is hoped that the judge will consult the Sentencing Council’s new ‘Environmental Offences: Definitive Guideline’, which calls on magistrates to make use of the highest levels of fines for some of the more serious offences that come before the courts, so that offenders ‘are hit in the pocket as well as deterred from committing more crime’.
Operation Boron
The prosecution is being taken by Environment Agency (EA) following an investigation, Operation Boron, by the National Environmental Crime Team (NECT).
Carried out in 2008 in conjunction with Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC), police, and Nigerian and Belgian authorities, the operation uncovered a dozen 40-foot containers housing hazardous electric waste for export. Eight of these were intercepted at Felixstowe and Tilbury, whilst the remaining four were returned to the UK from Belgium.
The investigation led to arrests in 2009 and the beginning of court proceedings in 2010. It was found that the WEEE had been ‘collected from civic amenity sites and unsuspecting businesses across the UK’ and sent to Lagos, Nigeria.
However, following the interception of a further two containers in September 2012, it became clear that a number of the defendants were continuing to export their illegal goods in full knowledge that their previous shipment had been halted.
To date, eight men and three companies including Orient Export Limited, Reliance Export Limited and Ady’s Skips have been ordered to pay over £220,000 for illegally exporting WEEE in what the EA says is ‘the biggest criminal network’ it has uncovered.
Speaking at the last sentencing hearing in 2012, Andy Higham, National Environmental Crime Team Manager, said: “This is the biggest waste exports case the Environment Agency has taken and confirms the legal position on exporting electronic waste to developing countries. Sending hazardous waste to developing countries is unacceptable. Our Environmental Crime Teams will continue to track down and stop those who risk damaging people’s health and the environment.”
Find out more about how the EA prevents the illegal export of WEEE.
Get our weekly digest
resource.co article ai
How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?
There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.