A defendant has been sentenced, for the first time, to a custodial sentence for illegally exporting waste by Snaresbrook Crown Court.
Harvey Bradshaw, Director of regulated industry spoke of the ruling:
“This sentence is a landmark ruling because it’s the first time anyone has been sent to prison for illegal waste exports as a result of our investigations.
We take a zero tolerance approach to those who commit waste crime, and cracking down on illegal waste exports will continue to be a priority for the Environment Agency.”
Joe Benson was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment for illegally exporting 46 tonnes of hazardous electric waste. The Environmental Agency investigators stopped the four containers between September 2012 and April 2013. Some of the waste being exported included cathode ray tube televisions and ozone reducing fridge freezers. This waste was taken to Nigeria, the Ivory Coast and the Congo.
His profit was made by avoiding the costs incurred for dealing with waste safely, collecting the waste and selling it on at around £8,000 per container. It is estimated that Benson would have been expected to make around £32,000 from the export of his seized containers.
Mr Benson has similar previous convictions of exporting hazardous electrical waste to Nigeria in 2011. He appealed against these convictions, without success, while continuing to illegally export.
The sentencing Judge, Judge Dawson commented:
“The public and the world need protecting from this sort of offence.”
Although there is a legal market for used goods, it is illegal to send hazardous electrical equipment to developing countries as this material could be dumped or burned to extract precious metals. This is a serious danger to the health of local people and can also cause harm to the environment.
The leader of the Environment Agency’s National Environmental Crime Team, Andrew Higham stated:
“These are not victimless crimes. The rules governing the exportation of waste electrical equipment are in place for good reason, to protect human life and the environment.”
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