Staffordshire Wildlife Trust Scores £14,700 Boost After Print Firm’s Packaging Blunder
The Environment Agency has landed a win for Staffordshire’s environment after Swanline Print Ltd was caught flouting packaging waste laws. The Stone-based company has coughed up £14,700 to fund the Wildlife Trust’s Craddock’s Moss project – all thanks to an Enforcement Undertaking deal.
Print Company Busted for Packaging Waste Fail
- Swanline Print failed to register as a packaging producer for over a decade
- Offence spans from 2010 to 2021 before compliance began
- Missed obligations on packaging recovery and recycling under 2007 regulations
Swanline Print, Britain’s top trade-only supplier of bespoke paper materials and print services for packaging and point-of-sale, seriously dropped the ball. The firm was legally required to register from 2010 but only complied in 2021, risking hefty penalties.
£14,700 Paid to Wildlife Trust to Offset Damage
The Environment Agency slapped an Enforcement Undertaking on Swanline Print. This meant the company had to pay £14,700 to Staffordshire Wildlife Trust — slightly above the estimated £14,659 avoidance cost including penalties — to ensure it did not financially benefit from ignoring the rules.
Jake Richardson, Senior Technical Officer at the Environment Agency, explained:
“Enforcement Undertakings allow businesses who fail to comply with legal requirements or pollute the environment to come into compliance or positively address and restore any harm caused to the environment and prevent repeat incidents. The Environment Agency is increasingly using this method of enforcement for less serious cases to restore and improve the environment, change behaviour and improve practices of the offender.”
Keeping Staffordshire Green – How You Can Help
The company also picked up the tab for the Environment Agency’s investigation and legal costs. If you spot environmental issues, ring the 24-hour Incident Hotline immediately on 0800 80 70 60.
This deal means Craddock’s Moss can continue flourishing, and Swanline Print must now toe the line on packaging waste laws. A win for Staffordshire’s wildlife and environment!
