An Irish catering firm has become the first in the industry to be prosecuted under new electrical waste laws.
The Irish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has only used the powers twice prior to the successful prosecution of Advance Bar and Catering Services this week.
According to Edie.net, the firm of Ballymount, Dublin, pleaded guilty to seven charges brought under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations.
The firm, also known as ABC Services, is a supplier of electrical cooking equipment to the catering industry and operates throughout Ireland.
The case, heard at Dublin Metropolitan District Court on 20 July, heard the firm placed electrical goods on the market when it was not registered to do so.
ABC Services also failed to join the producer registration body and did not declare quantities, by number of units or weight, of goods sold or intended to sell.
The company was fined a total of €3,500 (£3,022) for the seven charges and ordered to pay costs totalling €4,500 (£3,866).
The EPA's programme manager, Dr Gerry Byrne, he said: "This is the first such prosecution of a company in the catering equipment sector.
"This should send out a clear message to other companies with producer obligations that failure to meet their obligations will not be tolerated.
"Given the current economic challenges facing business, it is more important than ever that compliant companies are not put at a competitive disadvantage by others who flout the law."
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By Janie Stamford
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