Dangerous waste for Africa seized

from Sunday Herald, 18 May 2008

Two shipments of potentially dangerous waste en route to Africa have been seized by Scotland’s environment watchdog, the Sunday Herald can reveal.

The shipments are now under investigation by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) as part of a major new crackdown on illegal waste exports. This is the first time that such action has been taken in Scotland.

Although few details of the seizures have been released, it is known that they were made at “a Scottish port”. Two containers of waste “bound for a location in west Africa” were intercepted and seized by SEPA inspectors.

A brief report (120Kb pdf) on the seizures was made to SEPA’s board meeting last month by chief executive, Campbell Gemmell. “An investigation is now underway into whether the regulations have been breached,” he said.

According to SEPA, the investigation is being carried out in association with the Environment Agency, covering England and Wales, and the Dutch authorities. New European rules on the transfrontier shipment of waste came into force last July.

“At this stage we can’t divulge anything further, as this could prejudice the outcome of any cases,” a SEPA spokeswoman said. “We are taking a proactive role to help ensure that waste that could harm the environment and human health is not exported to developing countries.”

In presentations to waste producers and exporters, SEPA officials have suggested that illegal waste exports are “common” due to ignorance of the rules. Inspectors have been making spot checks on ports and waste sites, focusing particularly on exports of TVs, computer monitors, fridges, vehicles and municipal wastes.

Dr Dan Barlow, acting director of WWF Scotland welcomed the “unprecedented action” of seizing this waste and launching an investigation. “Dumping contaminated waste on those in the developing world would be entirely unacceptable,” he said.

In 2005 it was reported that more than 1,000 tonnes of household rubbish was being returned to England after it had been intercepted at the Dutch port of Rotterdam. It was disguised as waste paper on its way to be recycled in China.