Bradgate Park benefits from firm's recycling breach

The park said it would spend the money on improving areas for the public's benefit

A country park has been awarded a cash boost from a firm after it was found to be in breach of recycling rules.

The Environment Agency brought action against the Leicester firm, Trafalgar Scientific Ltd, after it breached environmental regulations.

The firm accepted the failures and paid £17,600 towards the Bradgate Park Trust's Jubilee Woodland Project.

The Leicestershire park welcomed the money and said it would go towards improving the site for its users.

Trafalgar Scientific supplies laboratory and microbiological equipment across the public and private sectors, including items such as Petri dishes, protection wear and DNA test kits.

The agency said the firm failed to register as a packaging producer and failed to meet its packaging recycling obligations.

'Improve practices'

Jake Richardson, from the agency, said it had brought in the Enforcement Undertaking (EU) - an alternative to prosecution or penalty to deal with environmental offences - to ensure a financial contribution to a local project.

"We're pleased that Trafalgar Scientific is now working in line with the regulations," he said.

"The aim of the packaging regulations is to reduce the amount of packaging waste that enters our landfill sites by requiring obligated businesses (producers) to contribute financially towards the recovery and recycling of packaging waste."

Mr Richardson said the department was increasingly using EUs to improve practices within businesses to "ensure future compliance with environmental requirements".

Bradgate Park said the money would go towards improving education events, planting more trees, protecting biodiversity of the woodland and creating a new walkway through the park.

Trafalgar Scientific been contacted for comment.