Recycling company and its director ordered to pay a total of $40,000 for environmental offences

SURREY, BC, June 5, 2015 /CNW/ - A numbered company, 0831689 BC Ltd., known as Electronics Recycling Canada, and its director Sai Feng Guan were ordered to pay a total of $40,000 in fines to British Columbia Provincial Court for offences under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA, 1999). The fines will be directed to the Environmental Damages Fund.

On May 11, 2015, Electronics Recycling Canada and Ms. Guan pleaded guilty to offences including exporting hazardous recyclable material without prior notification and exporting without a permit. The materials included lead acid batteries and used nickel-cadmium batteries.

In November 2011 and January 2012, enforcement officers inspected two containers that were returned to Canada from Hong Kong. The containers were destined to Macau but were intercepted in shipment at Hong Kong. There were no permits for the transit or export of hazardous recyclable materials for either location.

Of the $40,000 in fines, the company was ordered to pay $29,000 and Ms. Guan was ordered to pay $11,000.

As a result of this conviction, the name of the company will be added to the Environmental Offenders Registry.

Electronics Recycling Canada represents the first federal conviction in British Columbia involving the export of hazardous recyclable material.

Quick Facts

• CEPA, 1999, regulates exports, imports, and transits through Canada of hazardous wastes and hazardous recyclable materials with the goal of protecting Canada's environment and the health of Canadians from the risks posed by the movement of such wastes and materials.
• The Environmental Damages Fund (EDF) is administered by Environment Canada. It was created in 1995 to provide a mechanism for directing funds received as a result of fines, court orders, and voluntary payments to priority projects that will benefit our natural environment.
• The Environmental Offenders Registry lists information regarding convictions of corporations registered for offences committed under certain federal environmental laws since June 18, 2009–when the Environmental Enforcement Act received Royal Assent.

Associated Links

• The Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, and Export and Import of Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Recyclable Material Regulations
• Environment Canada has created a subscription service to help Canadians stay current with what the Government of Canada is doing to protect our natural environment. Subscribing to Environment Canada's Enforcement Notifications is easy, and free. Sign up today.

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SOURCE Environment Canada

Media Relations, Environment Canada, 819-934-8008