A MAN running a recycling company admitted illegally shipping waste to India. Parmir Rai, of Norgett's Lane, Melbourn, admitted breaching UK and European regulations over exporting waste when he appeared at Stevenage Magistrates' Court. Rai, director of B

A MAN running a recycling company admitted illegally shipping waste to India. Parmir Rai, of Norgett's Lane, Melbourn, admitted breaching UK and European regulations over exporting waste when he appeared at Stevenage Magistrates' Court. Rai, director of Becciss, of Saxon Way, Melbourn, shipped four containers of municipal waste from Felixstowe to India in March 2004. The court was told he had registered the waste in the containers as paper, but it was discovered to be mixed waste from a kerbside collection. Paul Taylor, prosecuting, told the hearing that representatives from the Environment Agency discovered during a spot-check that the containers were filled with mixed waste. He said the purpose of the spot-check was to identify any illegal export of waste. Mr Taylor said paper, plastic, wood, metal, and textiles contaminated by waste food residue were found in the waste. The Environment Agency held back the container it had inspected, and later three other containers of mixed waste sent by Rai were discovered in India. By law, Rai should have notified the authorities of the shipment and obtained written consent and a certificate stating the material would be sorted and recycled on arrival in India. When questioned by the Environment Agency he admitted he had none of the paperwork required. Mr Taylor said: "The waste was to be exported without permission or notice, and without confirmation that it would be dealt with in an environmentally safe manner. "People who engage in activities that fall foul of the regulations, rather than the taxpayer, should pay the cost." Richard Kimblin, for Rai, said a mistake occurred because the procedures regarding exporting waste were confusing. He said: "He is charged for his neglect as a director. It is his carelessness, rather than consenting or conniving. "These regulations apply to some waste and not others, and this waste is in a grey area. "We are not at the dangerous end, we are at the end where there's an element of uncertainty. "What we've got here is something that's good - the overall activity of taking kerbside recyclable material and sending it to India is a good thing." Rai and his company were fined a total of £6,000 and ordered to pay £5,000 costs. The court heard that since this shipment of waste Rai and Becciss had ceased to export waste and had no intention of doing so in the future.