90 UK hazardous waste containers in Brazil to be retrieved

The Port of Long Beach recently won the "Sustainable Shipping Clean Air Award" for efforts to reduce air pollution from ships through slower speeds, cleaner fuels and shore power.
"We are always looking for ways to bring about pollution reductions from ships, and the shipping lines have been reliable partners in this effort," said Harbor Commission President Nick Sramek. "We are pleased to receive the Sustainable Shipping Clean Air Award."

BRITAIN is said to be preparing to retrieve 90 containers holding hazardous waste, that were allegedly exported contrary to international treaty to Brazil for recycling, reports The Times of London.
The Port of Long Beach recently won the "Sustainable Shipping Clean Air Award" for efforts to reduce air pollution from ships through slower speeds, cleaner fuels and shore power.
"We are always looking for ways to bring about pollution reductions from ships, and the shipping lines have been reliable partners in this effort," said Harbor Commission President Nick Sramek. "We are pleased to receive the Sustainable Shipping Clean Air Award."

BRITAIN is said to be preparing to retrieve 90 containers holding hazardous waste, that were allegedly exported contrary to international treaty to Brazil for recycling, reports The Times of London.

This comes after British waste shipments were found at three Brazilian ports, which sounded the alarm that Brazil was being used as a dumping ground in violation of an international treaty on the movement of hazardous waste.

The containers of nappies, condoms, chemical toilet seats, syringes, computer fragments, old medicine batteries and other hospital waste, earlier triggered a Brazilian police investigation and calls that Britain retrieve 65 containers.

The containers came from Hong Kong-run Felixstowe terminal in Suffolk, Britain's largest container port, and landed at the Port of Santos near Sao Paulo as well as two other ports in Rio Grande do Sul, said the Guardian.

The Times report said Brazil's Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources said the shipments came from Wiltshire-based Worldwide Biorecyclables and UK Multiplas Recycling. Five Brazilian importers have been fined under protest, claiming they thought they were receiving plastics for recycling.

The UK's Environment Agency said that it would pay for the return of the 1,400 tonnes of waste. Liz Parks, the UK Environment Agency's head of waste, told The Times the shipments were still held by Brazil. "They haven't yet released it, but arrangements are being made. It will take a number of weeks for the waste to be returned."

The agency is considering criminal charges. "People can be fined unlimited amounts and prison sentences are imposed," she said.

Source: www.schnet.com)