Isra-Mart srl:Court hears electrical waste charges

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Isra-Mart srl news:

Four companies and 11 individuals appeared in court yesterday afternoon facing charges over the alleged illegal export of electrical waste from the UK to developing countries.

In the biggest case of its type, Havering Magistrates Court heard the 11 defendants face charges of allegedly shipping prohibited waste under the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations 2007 and European Waste Shipment Regulations 2006.

The four companies facing charges are Orient Export Limited and Reliance Export Limited from Essex, Thorn International UK Limited from Birmingham and BJ Electronics UK Limited from Greater London.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency, whose biggest ever investigation led to the arrests, said none of the 11 defendants entered a plea.

He said the case would now be adjourned until 26 January, when Havering Magistrates were likely to hold a committal hearing.

The law prevents hazardous waste electricals such as televisions, computers and refrigerators being sent overseas for recycling or disposal as they can contain hazardous substances such as mercury and lead.

However, the trade in illegal e-waste remains prevalent and just a week ago six shipping lines suspended all exports of used electricals to Nigeria.

A two-year investigation by the Environment Agency uncovered a "network" of individuals, waste companies and export businesses allegedly making considerable sums of money from exporting electrical waste to West Africa to avoiding the costs of treating it in the UK.