ENVIRONMENT AGENCY NEWS RELEASE

Farm Responsible For Deaths

More than 500 fish were killed when ammonia fertilizer ended up in a ditch that runs into the River Dove near Eye, Suffolk.

The pollution in February this year killed fish in Wickham Hall lake, Wickham Skeith when ammonia levels became very high. In unpolluted water levels are normally found at 1mgm per litre but just downstream of the discharge the ammonia level was 603mgms per litre.

Bury St Edmunds Magistrates’ Court today (Fri) fined APT Farming Ltd £8,000 and ordered the company to pay £3,300 costs after it admitted causing the pollution on 28 February.  The company was also ordered to pay £2,600 compensation to the owners of Wickham Hall for the restocking of the lake.

They heard that within days of the pollution more than 500 fish were dead in the lake. Some of those were carp measuring between 10cm and 60cm.

Mrs Anne-Lise McDonald prosecuting said that Environment Agency officers traced the pollution from the lake to Elm Farm where they saw obvious signs of spillage from a large open top tank containing a deep brown liquid.

The yard sloped towards a large open surface water drain and the liquid was running into it, she told the court. Officers located the owner/operator Andrew  Philpot who said he had not been aware of any problem but the site was not continuously manned.

Mrs McDonald told magistrates that the tank used for mixing fertilisers was clearly not sited in an appropriate location according to a code of practice produced by the Fertiliser Manufacturers Association.

She said that downstream of the discharge the rivers are used for water abstraction although there was no evidence of impact to the supply.

After the hearing Environment Agency officer Nick Davis said: ‘Pollution incidents can cause significant harm to our rivers, both in terms of water quality and amenity value.  It is the responsibility of the polluter to ensure that any spillages are contained and removed ensuring that it does not reach any watercourses.  

‘We take all incidents of water pollution very seriously indeed and will take appropriate legal action where required.

‘Accidents can occur but it is important to ensure the quality of the installation, and emergency procedures on site protect the environment when things do go wrong.  The code of practice issued by the Fertiliser Manufactures Association provides clear guidelines on the siting of fertilizer stores and the appropriate containment required.  The Environment Agency will willingly provide guidance and advice and I would advise people to ask for our help before an incident such as this occurs, rather than end up in court.’

APT Farming Ltd pleaded guilty to:

On or about 28 February 2008 you did cause poisonous, noxious or polluting matter to enter controlled waters, namely a tributary of the River Dove at Elm Farm, Thwaite Road, Wickham Skeith, Eye, Suffolk.

Contrary to s85(1) and s85(6) Water Resources Act 1991

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