Great Western joins Environment Agency scheme and considers appeal

Published: 14 January, 2010

Great Western Wine has come to a legal understanding and agreement with the Environment Agency to meet its reclycing commitments following an initial £35,000 fine which it is now considering appealing.

Following a report earlier this week on harpers.co.uk Addis stressed the situation has now been resolved with the Environment Agency after the wine agency took up the issue with EA through its lawyers.

The EA had initially imposed the fine as it said Great Western had not complied with its regulations that a company with over £2 million turnover must register with the EV and comply with its Packaging Recycling Notices. But Great Western proved to the EV that it was not aware of such regulations.

In a statement Phil Addis, managing director of Great Western Wine, said: "I am pleased to have been made aware of this law by the EA which is designed to encourage all companies to reduce packaging use as much as possible by charging a weight-related levy on all packaging handled.

"For some time we have recycled packaging and glass on site and we ensure too that all our wine growers employ environmentally sustainable practices. We even have our own green team to ensure best practice.

"From the moment we became aware of our obligations under the scheme in January 2009 we complied fully, and we sincerely regret the period of non-compliance which has led to this prosecution.

"Given all of the above we are, however, understandably concerned regarding the severity of the fine levied, given that the savings we made during the period of non-compliance were around £22k, and we are currently considering an appeal."

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