A COMPANY has been fined £10,000 for failing to responsibly dispose of its waste for six years.

The East Lancashire Box Company Ltd had been operating without registering with an approved waste disposal organisation following a change in governmental guidelines.

Hyndburn magistrates heard that the company had probably saved just over £10,000 by not registering.

But Dermot Woodhead, defending, said the failure had been out of ignorance of the requirements rather than a deliberate attempt to avoid responsibility.

"As soon as these matters came to light they registered with an approved organisation and are now compliant," said Mr Woodhead.

Julie Goulbourne, for the environment agency, said the should have registered, recovered and recycled a proportion of packaging waste, and provided a certificate of compliance.

Magistrates accepted that the failure had been an omission rather than a deliberate attempt to evade paying their dues.

The company, of Spring Street, Rishton, was also ordered to pay £1,250 costs.

Speaking after the case, Mrs Goulbourne said: "We hope this case will highlight to other companies the need to consider whether they are caught by these regulations. "The firm declined to comment after the case apart from saying it was considering an appeal.