Inform Resources WHOLESALER FINED


A hairdresser supplier has become the first firm to fall foul of two new waste laws, according to the Environment Agency (EA). The EA said Birmingham-


based Aston and Fincher is the first prosecution of a business for offences under both the packaging regulations and the producer responsibility legislation for electrical equipment. The firm, a wholesaler of hairdressing supplies, admit- ted it had avoided paying £10,900 in charges. The rules are part of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive and the company avoided paying £445 plus costs of financing the recovery and recycling of equipment for which it would have been responsible in 2008. Aston and Fincher was fined £650 for each offence and ordered to pay compen- sation of £7,135 to the EA.


Council has beef with Sainsbury’s


Supermarket prosecuted over ‘excessive’ joint packaging


Sainsbury’s is being taken to court for using too much packag- ing for its products.


A beef roasting joint has bro- ken 2003 regulations, which pro- hibit manufacturers and retail- ers from using excess packaging, according to Trading Standards. Until now, just


five similar


cases have been brought under the legislation, all against small companies. Sainsbury’s is the first major supermarket to be pros- ecuted and could have to pay a £3,000 fine for the offence. It is alleged that an example of the product on sale at a branch in Lincoln, on or before 17 February this year, did not meet the essen- tial legal requirements. The charge states that the meat’s packaging was “not limited to the minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety, hygiene and acceptance”.


Peter Heafield, head of trading Sainsbury’s said it was surprised by the action taken by Trading Standards


standards at Lincolnshire County Council, told the Lincolnshire Echo: “Excessive packaging on goods can cause unnecessary damage to the environment and increase costs associated with recycling and landfill.


“We have a duty to enforce regulations, which require businesses to review and reduce their packaging so items are pack- aged only in a way that is neces- sary for issues such as consumer acceptance.


“Following a consumer com- plaint about a product available in Sainsbury’s, trading standards carried out an investigation that has resulted in the matter being brought before the court.” The action came on the same day the supermarket chain announced it was scrapping boxes for its Basics range of cereal in favour of bags. Sainsbury’s said it was “surprised” by the action and thought it had had good talks with the council over the issue.


Defra expects Britain to meet landfill targets


Data shows reduction in biodegradable waste


Britain will make its targets under the Landfill Directive for 2010, according to Defra.


The latest data for England and


from the devolved administra- tions, shows that the country will meet the 2010 Landfill Diversion Target


to reduce biodegradable municipal waste to landfill. “The data shows that peo- ple are starting to realise that we can’t continue sending huge amounts of waste to landfill,” said Environment Minister, Lord Henley. “As this Government strives to be the greenest govern- ment ever it will be important that this trend continues as we


look to meet future targets.” Data for 2009 shows that England is landfilling less waste than its 2010 target – around 14.6M tonnes compared with the 2010 target of about 21.7M tonnes. Further European Union tar- gets will come into force on in 2013 and 2020, with the UK fac- ing fines if it misses them. However, the new data coincid- ed with Lord Henley’s decision to reject one of the previous govern- ment’s main policies for delivering improved recycling rates follow- ing a consultation on plans to restrict the landfilling of recycla- ble and biodegrable materials. The consultation


asked for


views on policy options, includ- ing retaining the current regime,


CUT WASTE, GET JOBS


More than 50,000 new recy- cling jobs would be created across the country if the UK set more ambitious recycling targets according to Friends of the Earth. In its report, More Jobs, Less Waste, the body says that at least 51,400 new jobs would be created across the UK if we recycled 70% of the waste collected by local councils.


At least a further 18,800 jobs could be created if we recycled commercial and industrial waste at the same rate.


introducing requirements


landfill bans to sort and waste,


imposing tougher pre-treatment rules, and developing producer responsibility schemes similar to those used to tackle eWaste. Restrictions, including a ban on sending some recyclable materials to landfill, had received support from the previous environment secretary Hilary Benn. But Lord Henley said the policy would not be pursued by the Coalition. “This government is not mind- ed to introduce further landfill restrictions at this stage, but will consider how best to make pro- gress towards the objective of zero waste to landfill as part of the Review of Waste Policies, due to conclude in spring 2011,” he said.


BRIEFS MORE THAN 2M CUBIC METRES OF WATER – 800 OLYMPIC SWIMMING POOLS – HAVE BEEN SAVED BY UK FOOD AND DRINK FIRMS SINCE 2007 10 | Sustainable Business | October 2010


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