500 bikes for Sudanese charity blocked at Scottish port

[glasgowcyclist]

This does seem a rather petty decision to reject the shipment of bikes to Sudan.

The receiving charity was aware of the condition of the bikes and was happy to accept them.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2e7yy3z3p8o

A man who tried to send 500 bikes to a charity in Africa had them refused at a Scottish port after they were classed as waste.​

​

Nigel Carter, 64, had been gathering bicycles across Scotland to be shipped to Sudan, to help people who need access to cheap transport. ​

​

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) said the shipment could not leave the country as an inspector had deemed them unfit for purpose because some of them needed repairs.​

​

The bikes were shipped back to Mr Carter in Comrie, Perthshire, which he said meant they risked being scrapped.​

​

Mr Carter told BBC Scotland's Drivetime on Thursday that he had gathered the bikes from Scottish recycling centres to offer to Scottish charities - and those not taken were given to a charity in Sudan.​

​

According to Mr Carter the repairs raised by Sepa were only minor and easily fixed, including oil on chains, rusted frames and broken brake cables.​

​

He said that these repairs would be more cost effective if carried out in Sudan rather than in Scotland. ​

​

The Sudanese charity receiving the bikes had picked them out and were happy with their condition, Mr Carter said. ​

​

He added that the bikes were also approved by qualified bicycle mechanics. ​

​

The bikes would have been used across Sudan for children to get to school or to help people run their businesses. ​

​

He told the BBC it was costing the Sudanese charity for the shipping container to be sitting in "limbo" and puts them at risk of closing.​

​

Mr Carter said the bikes will now most likely be scrapped or taken back to the recycling centre, where they were picked from​

​

The current civil war in the north east African country means there is a lack of resources such as oil and fuel, so bikes have become more sought after. ​

​

The bikes were shipped in a container to a Scottish port, where it was stopped for an inspection by environment officials. ​

​

Gary Walker, a waste manager at Sepa, said some of the bikes needed repairs before they could be reused. ​

​

The container was sent back to Mr Carter.​

 

[ianrauk]

A ridiculous state of affairs

 

[Emanresu]

There are a few of these charities about such as this one. (https://bicycles-for-humanity.org/) AFAIR they included enough to set up a workshop with every 40ft container they sent, so the container became the repair centre for the 'scrap' bikes. It was also very expensive for the charity to do as the tools plus shipping costs were quite high. There was also the counter argument that you could get new Chinese bikes for the same money.

Perhaps well intentioned but not checked out properly. There is a lot of information on these schemes about if you look for it.

 

[Drago]

Even if some require repairs that doesnt automatically make them waste.

Is this just petty officialdom, or is there more than is reported in the story?