From: ian blenkharn@ianblenkharn.com
Category: News & information
Date: 01 Dez 2009
Time: 09:19:01 +0100
Remote Name: 81.154.187.4
Though we must be very careful when considering newspaper reports into such incidents, after a substantial period of silence it is interesting to read the report in the Evening Star 24 that provides an update on what was previously a headline-grabbing incident.
"Investigations into the contents of nearly 90 containers of toxic waste which were alleged to have been illegally exported from the UK to Brazil are still continuing today. "All the data is being logged to build up evidence to see if there is a case for a prosecution.
"The containers, which were shipped out to South America through Felixstowe port, were brought back to the UK two months ago on board the MSC Serena after authorities in Brazil opened them and found a range of items, some described as hazardous waste.
"The boxes are said to contain items including clinical waste, bags of blood, condoms and syringes, as well as food and cleaning product containers, old clothes, shoes, newspapers, DVDs, pieces of computers, and plastics.
"A spokeswoman for the Environment Agency said workers were still investigating the boxes - which are understood to be at a yard in the Felixstowe port area - and examining the contents.
Do you think, as I do, that the Environment Agency with others vastly overstated the composition of this waste? And that the delay in completion of the examination of these wastes is actually a search for some tiny amounts of clinical wastes among a vast bulk of other less harmful wastes.
Many will be aware that I take a strict view of co-mixed wastes and consider that a risk exists at all times, since the guy who suffers an accident is not concerned that he was injured by the 0.1% fraction of clinical waste since to him it was 100%!
EA have taken a much more relaxed view on this, failing as they do to address the real risks and sticking only with a personal ideology of clinical waste regulation. But now, perhaps, they are seeking to act on some de minimis fraction that in other circumstances they would choose to ignore because it suits them otherwise. The importance of this is how they present the risks, perhaps differently when it is in their own interests. if it takes so long to decide f this waste contains clinical waste items and they are searching through tonnes of waste to find an off syringe that might equally have been used by for printer ink refill or some other legitimate purpose, then their argument at the their argument concerning waste categorisation based on risk is certainly up for some heated debate.
The Court report is a public document and will be available for scrutiny. This will make interesting reading, and if my suspicions are correct may come back to haunt the EA. I can't wait to read it.
see UK clinical waste goes to Brazil