Recycling company wants eco-courts

A recycling firm in Ireland is urging the government to set up new courts to punish environmental criminals.

Repak wants a dedicated court with special powers to prosecute anyone caught breaking environmental law in the country.

Judges and lawyers in the courts would have specialist qualifications in environmental law, and fines for breaking eco-laws would be much higher than they are at the moment.

Repak believes that establishing the courts would send a ‘clear signal’ to businesses tempted to flout environmental regulations.

According to Repak, in the last 11 years just 46 businesses have been prosecuted for not recycling their products.

In most cases, the maximum allowed fine is €1,500. The highest fine in all 46 cases was €15,000, a figure that Repak believes is a disgrace.

Since 1997 it has been illegal for businesses in Ireland to send recyclable waste to landfill.

Repak CEO Andrew Hetherington believes that companies need to be called to account on their failure to recycle.

Irish consumers, he said, should be commended on their commitment to recycling.

It is now time for companies to keep up the pace.