A COMPANY has been fined £20,000 after polluting a stream during land spreading at a North East farm.

Whites Recycling Ltd – based at Mill Lane in South Witham, Lincolnshire – appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court where it pleaded guilty to breaching its environmental permit and polluting a tributary of the River Tees.

Prosecuting on behalf of the Environment Agency, Sally Dennison told the court that the company has an environmental permit for mobile plant land spreading at Greystones Farm near Eppleby, west of Darlington.

 

The black discharge entering the watercourse

Last March, a member of the public reported that a stream close to the farm was running black.

Following an inspection by EA officers, Whites Recycling arranged for a tanker to attend and remove the pools of digestate and rainwater that had accumulated on the field.

Checks on the company’s Environment Management System showed there was no condition to check the weather forecast prior to spreading taking place, and the field record sheet had been incorrectly filled out.

The company said the incident had resulted from a systems failure and was not committed deliberately or recklessly.

Speaking after the hearing, Environment Officer Louise Poole, from the Environment Agency’s Land and Water Team in the North East, said: “Permits are in place to protect the environment and our communities while also supporting businesses in their activities.

“Permits have strict conditions for a reason and it is vital companies abide by those conditions. In this case, land spreading during adverse weather led to a waterlogged field and a black discharge into a nearby river, impacting on the environment. The company has since updated its procedures and improved staff training.

“Run off from land into our waters has a significant negative effect on the environment. The Environment Agency works hard to protect our environment and I hope this sends out a message to others that we take incidents such as this seriously and will take the necessary action against those flouting the conditions of their permit.”

The company was fined £20,000, ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge amounting to £4,430.