Water firms to pay £575K for environmental breaches

Northumbrian Water and Anglian Water have been ordered by the Environment Agency to pay £575,000 to environmental charities after breaking environmental laws.

They are among a group of firms which will pay a collective £1.5 million to charities for projects benefitting wildlife and the environment, after they broke environmental laws – either by polluting rivers, breaching permit conditions designed to protect communities or avoiding recycling.

Thirty charities and projects in total will benefit from the bumper pay-out of £1,535,992.25. The money will be spent by local groups on projects that will make a direct positive impact on the environment. Stretches of rivers will be cleaned up, native species will be restocked into rivers and community groups will invest in parkland for everyone to enjoy.

Twenty-six companies are on the new list of enforcement undertakings with payments ranging from £1,500 to £375,000. These include Filippo Berio, Heineken and Kerry Ingredients, as well as Northumbrian Water and Anglian Water.

As well as making a payment to an appropriate environmental charity, each company has accepted liability, demonstrated restoration of harm and invested to reduce the risk of similar breaches occurring in future, the EA said.

The EA’s ability to accept enforcement undertakings was extended in 2015 to a far wider range of offences. The EA is increasingly using this method of enforcement for suitable cases to swiftly restore the environment, improve practices of the offending company and avoid longer criminal court cases. However, prosecutions will still be taken, particularly in the most serious cases.

EA legal director Peter Kellett said: “We take pollution incidents very seriously and the payments of £1.5 million we’re announcing today are the result of our firm but fair enforcement action and will benefit people and the environment across the country.

“Enforcement undertakings allow those who commit offences to restore the environment and to take steps to prevent a recurrence. When appropriate, they allow a quicker resolution than a prosecution and help offenders who are prepared to take responsibility for their actions to put things right with their local communities.”