Red Bull Reports Recycling Violations, Pays Max Fine
Red Bull has been fined approximately $448,400 by the Environment Agency (EA) in London for failing to recycle its packaging waste for eight years, between 1999 and 2006.
Under the Producer Responsibility Obligations Regulations 2007, all businesses that produce more than 50 tons pf packaging per year and have an annual turnover of 2 million British Pounds (approximately $3.4 million) have to register with the EA.
Red Bull's fine tops the previous record-holder, Midlands, a packaging company that was fined 225,000 British Pounds for its recycling violations. Photo: Flickr/David_Reverchon
Red Bull reported its violation to the EA in July 2007 and attended an interview on March 12, 2008, where the company admitted to its failure to recycle or properly manage its waste according to EA standards.
Red Bull has plead guilty to 16 counts of failure to recover and recycle packaging waste, making it the U.K.’s top recycling offender.
According to EA Environment Officer Helen Pavlou, these regulations encourage packaging reduction and help decrease companies’ overall waste.
While the EA is glad Red Bull reported its own violations, the organization is concerned about the manufacturers who have yet to report their waste management.
“While it is encouraging that the Red Bull Company came to use when they [realized] their mistake,” Pavlou tells Recycling & Waste Management News, “it is disappointing that there are still companies that are not compliant with this important legislation more than a decade after it was passed.”
The company is also paying for not registering with the EA, according to Recycling & Waste Management News.
