Inspectors in the port of Felixstowe are currently examining 91 containers of rubbish that was allegedly illegally exported to Brazil by two Swindon-based firms. In July, Brazilian authorities accused Britain of dumping toxic refuse when they discovered more than a thousand tonnes of waste, including syringes, blood and used condoms, in a consignment that had been sold by the Wiltshire companies as clean plastic for recycling.
Ninety-one shipping containers arrived back in Felixstowe last month, where they were sealed and fumigated. Environment Agency officials have now started to sort through them, looking for material to mount a prosecution. The waste is stacked into walls, 13 metres high and at the time of writing, only 12 containers have been opened. This has revealed such hidden treasures as nappies, dirty knickers, rotting food, paper, cans and part of a car dashboard. Exporting waste of any kind for disposal is illegal, and can lead to two years in prison and an unlimited fine. Companies are however allowed to export properly sorted plastics for recycling, which is what the Brazilians thought they would receive.
Andy Higham, head the Environment Agency's environment crime unit, said that manual sorting was necessary to build a prosecution. "What the Brazilian authorities have found we're really grateful for, but from an evidence point of view we need to collect our own. Waste in this state is clearly not suitable for recycling and should never have been exported. This is completely unacceptable and we will not allow this type of waste to be sent to developing countries."
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