Sheffield bin collections: Waste contractor Veolia criticised for continuing 'lucrative' operations in Russia
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The company, which empties bins and burns rubbish for Sheffield City Council, has a heating and waste disposal business in the country.
More than 1,000 firms including BP, Nike and McDonald’s pulled out of Russia after it invaded Ukraine. The illegal war has claimed thousands of lives.
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Hide AdChrissy Meleady, of Sheffield campaign group Equalities and Human Rights, said eight local organisations and 20 individuals had expressed concerns that public money from Sheffield was going into a firm operating in Russia.
Lesia Vasylenko, a Ukrainian MP, has warned that such companies are ‘indirectly funding Vladimir Putin’s war machine’.
A Veolia spokesman said the UK business maintains ‘continuous dialogue’ with the authorities to 'ensure full compliance with all applicable sanctions’.
And Veolia Group has stopped new investment into its Russian subsidiary and ‘all financial flows’ between the two. But operations were continuing.
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Hide AdHe added: “Veolia utterly condemns war and violence in Ukraine. In full compliance with the current sanctions regime, Veolia Group is maintaining its responsibility to its employees and the communities it serves by continuing its essential public service operations in both Ukraine and Russia.”
Councillor Joe Otten, chair of the waste and street scene policy committee at Sheffield City Council, said they were aware of Veolia’s Russian activities.
He added: “Sheffield City Council fully condemns Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine and our thoughts and sympathies lie with the people caught up in the conflict.”