Food production company Addo Food Group (now known as The Compleat Food Group) and bottle manufacturer Encirc commit to paying six-figure enforcement undertakings for failing to meet their 2021 packaging obligations.
An enforcement undertaking is a voluntary offer made by an offender. If accepted by the Environment Agency, the offer becomes a legally binding agreement.
The Environment Agency says it will only accept an enforcement undertaking for cases where it’s not in the public interest to prosecute, the offer addresses the cause and effect of the offending and “protects, restores or enhances the natural capital of England”.
The Environment Agency found bottle manufacturer Encirc failed to take “reasonable steps” to recover and recycle packaging waste. Encirc has committed to contributing £606,981.54 to four different organisations as part of the enforcement undertaking.
This includes £131,000 to The Federation of Groundwork Trusts, £132,952 to The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), £130,000 to Cheshire Community Foundation, and £213,029.54 to Cheshire Wildlife Trust.
The Environment Agency also found Addo Food Group failed to comply with its recycling obligations. Addo has committed to contributing £104,000 to Fareshare, a charity network which works to alleviate food poverty and reduce food waste in the UK.
Encirc and The Compleat Food Group have been approached for comment.
