As the saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
But after Nigel Carter collected 500 unwanted bicycles so they could be put to good use in Africa, he was astonished to find they had fallen foul of regulations covering the export of waste.
Environment officials stopped the container packed with bikes bound for Sudan and they were returned to Mr Carter’s base at Cultybraggan Camp in Comrie, Perthshire.
He has accused the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) of ‘box-ticking bureaucracy’ and said he now faces having to scrap the bikes.
The 64-year-old said: ‘Where is the environmental sense in that?
‘They are really good bikes. They would change the lives of people in Sudan.
‘The whole thing is absolutely ludicrous. It is just box-ticking bureaucracy.
‘I’m just trying to donate some bicycles that could be put to good use.’
Mr Carter, the former owner of the Auchingarrich Wildlife Park, has been collecting old bikes for about 20 years so they can be reused by those in need of cheap transport.
Nigel Carter collected 500 unwanted bicycles so they could be put to good use in Africa
Mr Carter has been left with hundreds of bikes after SEPA officials refused to let them leave the country
He gives first choice to UK-based charities before shipping the remainder to Africa, where if they need refurbishment, it can be done at a much lower cost.
The bikes are particularly sought-after in Sudan as a civil war has made petrol and diesel unaffordable for most citizens.
Mr Carter had a consignment of more than 500 bikes which he had loaded into a container to be sent to a small charity for distribution.
But on Tuesday the container was returned to him after SEPA officials refused to let it leave the country on the grounds that it might not comply with rules preventing Scotland’s waste becoming ‘another country’s problem’.
He believes the decision was made because some of the bicycles had ‘cosmetic’ issues such as minor rust or being in need of a replacement wheel.
In Sudan, each bike only costs around £1.50 to be made roadworthy whereas in Scotland it would cost around £40.
The return of the container could also, he fears, be disastrous for the small operation in Sudan which had been relying on its arrival.
Mr Carter added: ‘This could bankrupt them.
‘And these bikes are essential to the people there. Children need them to get to school.’
A spokesman for SEPA said: ‘SEPA supports a more circular economy where less waste is produced.
‘By conducting inspections at waste sites and ports throughout Scotland, we monitor the quality of items being exported for reuse or recycling to ensure quality and suitability.
‘This way, we can ensure that Scotland’s waste does not become another country’s problem.
‘Following an inspection of a container by SEPA officers, we have stopped the shipment while we ensure that it fully complies with the waste shipment regulations.
‘We are corresponding with the relevant parties involved to return the container to the site of loading to allow a more detailed inspection by SEPA officers.’
