Reporting company to Environment Agency.

[code1]

I reported my previous employer to the Enviroment Agency, for illegal disposal of Refrigeration equipment and CFC gases.

The agency let slip that it was a previous employee, and passed on an e-mail I sent to them to my old line manager, who passed it on to the director.

I have now been threatened with court action by my former employer for making scandalous and defamatory remarks and comments to a third party.

I told the truth to the EA and am now very worried if not un-happy and now think that I should have kept quite.

How do I stand in law ?...Can I be sued or taken to court for in a sense telling the truth ?

[Ethel]

They can try but they won't get very far - and it would be pointless them doing so.

It would cost them a lot of money to sue you, and the reparation is damages. If you are not an extremely wealthy man is entirely pointless them taking action.

Also it is for them to prove you were lying. They are not going to want you stating under oath in a court of law why you did what you did, and giving evidence about their wrong doing.

You have three choices.

1. Ignore them.

2. Tell them to bring it on - you can't wait to have your say in court.

3. Tell them to stop contacting you or you will get an Order under the Protection Against Harassment Act 1997.

I would opt for 2. They are not going to take you to court, but call their bluff.

[code1]

Thank-you kindly !

[cassa333]

Did the environment agency find they were disposing illegaly disposing of it?

If they did then let them sue you.

If not worry a little.

Have you complained to the ea about the disclosure of the information you gave them?

[code1]

cassa : I saw and wintessed illegal disposal, regardless of any findings by the EA, I was informing whoever what I actually saw.

If you report a crime, and the person who committed the crime through lack of evidence gets off, how can the perpretrator then go on to sue you ?.

The EA were wrong to disclose my information, I will expect them to be in court with me if it enters into litergation.

[cassa333]

If it cannot be proved that they dumped it they didn't do it!!! You know the truth but the legal system is such that proof or evidence is needed. As far as the law is conserned and possibly your employer will say you are a disgruntled ex-employee out to cause trouble. Therefore they can sue you.

I would be speeking to someone about the disclosure of evidence by the EA. If they found no evidence dumping they will not be of help to your case against the firm.

[Ethel]

They won't sue you - it won't be in their interests.

They would not want more attention brought to the matter, nor risk bad publicity in the press. After all, there isn't smoke without fire.

And as I already said - the damages for libel action is money. If you don't have money (a LOT of money) it is totally pointless.

Cassa - in the eyes of the law, they would have to prove code1 is lying. Impossible to do.

[code1]

Thanks : Trouble is when you move or indeed sell an item covered by the waste management act then you need to maintain records.

If you are a company who installs new equipment, then it's not rocket science that somebody or someone has the dispose of the old equipment somewhere ?..

If you were going for a walk and saw somebody dumping toxic waste, and you reported that person, your saying that in the un-likely event that that person doesent go to court, that they can then sue you ?.

Have you heard the term Whistle blower ?, why not spill the beans on your old company if your not happy with getting the sack ?.

I think more people should do it, perhaps then all these big companies who think they are above the law can be brought to book.

[code1]

Thank you very much indeed Ethel
Fri 18/07/08
09:47 They won't sue you - it won't be in their interests.

They would not want more attention brought to the matter, nor risk bad publicity in the press. After all, there isn't smoke without fire.

And as I already said - the damages for libel action is money. If you don't have money (a LOT of money) it is totally pointless.

Cassa - in the eyes of the law, they would have to prove code1 is lying. Impossible to do.

[Twenty20]

Was what you passed to the EA confidential? Did you make it clear that you wanted your name kept out of it?

If the EA have looked into this and found nothing wrong then, unless you have evidence to back up your claim, it is you who is making defamatory comments. Do you actually have evidence, something that you could show in Court? I would guess not or the EA would have found something.

I'd also be a bit wary of saying 'bring it on' to them. If you have no evidence then youre left a bit high and dry. What did you actually say in this email to the EA?

[Ethel]

It would be impossible for the employer to prove they haven't been illegally disposing of equipment.

Which they would have to do to win a libel case.

They won't do it - I'd stake my pension on it.

[code1]

Thanks