Croy recycling firm faces huge fine after 1,200 tonnes of contaminated waste paper found

Fifty one containers bound for China were intercepted by officers from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. They discovered food waste, clothing, electrical equipment and children's toys mixed with paper that should have been converted to cardboard.

Saica Natur, which has a processing plant at Croy, has now admitted breaching international waste shipment regulations.

Joe Stewart, environmental crime prosecutor, told Airdrie Sheriff Court that paper waste was usually sent from Croy to the company's recycling facility in Manchester.

However, a fire there in 2016 greatly reduced capacity and the Spanish-owned company arranged to export paper to China. The offence arose because the consignment was so heavily contaminated it was classed as mixed waste.

China is not party to the Basel Convention, an international treaty designed to reduce the movement of hazardous and other waste. That means exporting mixed waste to China is illegal.

Mr Stewart stated: "SEPA officers visited the Croy depot in September 2016 and had concerns about the quality of paper waste.

"It was established that 48 containers were in transit to China, including 29 that had reached Belgium. Another three were at Grangemouth port. All the containers were intercepted.

"Officers spent six months picking through bales of waste paper and found soiled nappies, food waste, electrical equipment, clothing and toys.

"While a small amount of contamination is to be expected, SEPA officers said the level here went far beyond what could be acceptable."

Claire Mitchell QC told the court: “The company has expressed a genuine wish to deal with this matter, move forward and do better."

Sheriff Fergus Thomson adjourned the case until next month when he is expected to impose a fine on the company.

North Lanarkshire Council, which has a contract to supply waste paper to Saica Natur, said: “We will obviously be discussing the outcome of this case with the company directly.”