The owner of a Swindon-based company which sent "toxic" waste to Brazil has been ordered to pay a shipping firm more than £730,000 in compensation.
Containers sent by Worldwide Biorecyclables were rejected by the South American country's Government. Shipping firm MSC was fined for transporting the rubbish but has won a High Court order to get the money from Worldwide Biorecyclables' former owner, Julio da Costa, who has said he intends to appeal the ruling.
Mr da Costa claims he was not given sufficient warning of MSC's case against him and that he had no time to prepare a defence. He also said that Worldwide Biorecyclables, which was based in South Marston and employed eight people, no longer existed as a business. He commented, "Today, I deliver pizzas and earn £900 a month."
The containers row sparked an international incident back in July 2009, after Brazil accused the UK of dumping unwanted contaminated waste on its shores. The Brazilian Government said that the 91 containers shipped by MSC did not contain recyclable plastics but instead held used nappies, syringes, condoms and other contaminated waste. MSC were forced to return the containers to the UK. The cargo was described as "toxic" by the Brazilian authorities, however the Environment Agency, which has inspected the returned containers, said it was not.
The agency is still considering the next course of action.
