A major kitchenware company that claimed to be unaware of their obligation to recover or recycle a percentage of their packaging waste have been prosecuted for ignoring legislation. Bodem (UK) Ltd, of Swan Valley, Northampton, were fined a total of £13,125 by Northampton Magistrates' Court this month, after the Danish-owned company failed to meet their obligations in 2003/04, regardless of handling over 215 tonnes of packaging waste a year and having a turnover of £8.2 million in 2003 and £7.8 million in 2004.
Under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations, any company handling more than 50 tonnes of packaging a year, with an annual turnover of more than £2 million must recover and recycle a percentage of their packaging, or pay for it to be carried out through a registered scheme. However, managing director Jane Wilkinson said they had been unaware of the company's obligations, and suggested they had not received the appropriate information. Bodem were prosecuted under the original packaging Regulations SI 1997/648, which have now been replaced by SI 2005/3468.
Bodem pleaded guilty to not registering with a compliance scheme or the Environment Agency, not taking steps to recover and recycle packaging waste and not providing the Agency with a certificate of proof. After the hearing, Agency officer Charles Phillips said, "The aim of the Regulations is to make businesses responsible for the packaging used in their operations and reduce the amount of packaging waste going to landfill. We will not hesitate to take action against companies who ignore the packaging rules."
