The Marine Conservation Society has been paid more than £54,000 by a mushroom supplier to “make amends for failures” amid a legal row over packaging, according to the Environment Agency.

Walsh Mushrooms Group of Vale Park, Evesham has paid £54,880 to the charity after the company admitted that it had not registered under packaging regulations over a ten-year period, between 2007 and 2017 and had failed to implement proper recycling practices, says the Environment Agency.

The Environment Agency says the company handled nearly 9,000 tonnes of packaging in that period.

Jenny Griffiths, education manager at the Marine Conservation Society said the payment is being used “to research, design and create new education materials to inspire action and ocean friendly behaviours from consumers and businesses throughout England”.

The action has been taking using an ‘enforcement undertaking’, which is an alternative sanction to prosecution of fine for dealing with environmental offences. It is a legally-binding voluntary agreement.

Ben Haste, Environment Agency regulatory officer added: “Enforcement undertakings are an effective enforcement tool used by the Environment Agency to enable businesses to address breaches of environmental legislation and contribute to environmental projects.

“We are increasingly using this method of enforcement for suitable cases to bring businesses into compliance with environmental legislation and requirements, and to protect the environment.

“However, we will prosecute or impose monetary penalties in appropriate cases.”

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