Nottingham based Kennelpak Ltd has paid over £75,000 to the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and the Erewash Canal Preservation & Development Association for its past failure to meet its packaging recycling obligations.
The financial contribution is part of an enforcement undertaking (EU) offered to the Environment Agency for its failure to register with the Environment Agency, recycle and recover a proportion of their waste by purchasing Packaging Recovery Notes.
The payment has been split, with 50% going to the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust towards its Attenborough Nature Reserve Project and 50% to the Erewash Canal Preservation & Development Association towards the renovation of the Lock Cottages in Sandiacre, Derbyshire.
Kennelpak Limited are a manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer of pet foods and pet related products. The company was unaware that as they were handling over 50 tonnes of packaging waste and had a turnover of more than £2 million, they had obligations under The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007.
They had failed to comply with the Regulations for registration years 2001 to 2016.
Enforcement undertakings
Joanne Weston, Environment Officer at the Environment Agency, said: “Enforcement Undertakings allow packaging waste producers to come into compliance and contribute towards environmental projects and improvements using the money they have saved.
“The Environment Agency is increasingly using this method of enforcement for cases of less serious offending to restore or enhance the environment, improve practices of the offending business and ensure future compliance with environmental requirements. However, we will continue to pursue prosecution for the most serious cases.”
Erin McDaid, Head of Communications & Marketing at Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, said: “Attenborough Nature Reserve is one of the most popular nature reserves in the country and a great place to connect with nature but, with 200 hectares to manage and around half a million visitors a year, resources are always stretched.
The Environment Agency is increasingly using this method of enforcement for cases of less serious offending to restore or enhance the environment
“The contribution from Kennelpak Ltd provided an unexpected but very welcome boost to our fundraising and will help support habitat management and restoration, such as coppicing trees, and our work to ensure that the reserve is accessible and welcoming, such as maintaining and clearing paths. It will also enable us to support our volunteers who carry out projects across the much loved reserve.”
Norman Cornwell, Chairman of the Erewash Canal Preservation & Development Association, said: “The money from the enforcement undertaking will be used to install a macerator type pumped toilet, which will be connected to the Severn Trent sewer which runs close to the line of the Derby canal at Sandiacre.
“This will enable us to open the cottages to schools, walking groups and other interested organisations.