AN Oxfordshire wildlife trust has received almost £21,000 from a coatings manufacturer company after it failed to comply with waste regulations.

Hi-Tech Coatings International, an Aylesbury-based coatings manufacturer, has pledged £20,935.76 to the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust, after failing to comply with the law.

The law in question is the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007, which ensures businesses fund the recycling of the packaging waste that they place on the UK market. 

By failing to register and to take reasonable steps to recover and recycle packaging waste, the business avoided paying to offset their obligation based on how much packaging they handled in the previous calendar year.

The money paid to the charity will help protect local wildlife habitats and wetland areas through its College Lake programme, which is near Tring in Buckinghamshire.

The contribution will go towards ongoing management of College Lake ensuring it remains accessible, safe and of interest to visitors.

It will also aid its education programme.

Environment Agency senior technical officer, Jake Richardson, said: “If companies fail to meet their obligations under environmental law, we will take action to ensure that they change their ways.

“The company also agreed to take measures to ensure it complies with its packaging waste responsibilities in the future. 

“We’re satisfied it won’t repeat its mistakes.”