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Environment Agency Serves Suspension Notice Following Trent Cyanide Pollution

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Press Release 08/10/2009 17:33:00

The River Trent

As part of its ongoing investigation into yesterday’s pollution of the River Trent, the Environment Agency has served a Suspension Notice to prevent Red Industries Ltd of Burslem, Stoke-on Trent, from discharging any industrial effluent to the sewer system.

Environment Agency officers have been on site at Red Industries after tests showed the presence of cyanide at the sewer discharge point used by the company.

The issuing of the notice follows swift action by the Environment Agency in its ongoing investigation into the source of the cyanide pollution of the River Trent.

David Hudson, Environment Manager said: "The pollution has killed thousands of fish on the River Trent, and caused a great deal of concern for many people. This sort of incident is unacceptable. Our investigation is continuing to ensure we can take firm action against those responsible.”

Nationally, the number of river pollution incidents in England and Wales has reduced by some 90 per cent over the past 15 years and is at an all time low.

The quality of rivers is the best for over a century. The Environment Agency will continue to press for tougher sentences for those who set back the tremendous progress made as a result of the action by the Environment Agency and its partners.

Under the Water Resources Act it is an offence to cause poisonous, noxious or polluting matter to enter rivers. Should a prosecution reach the Crown Court, fines are unlimited.

The largest fine for a similar offence occurred in 2004, with an Avonmouth-based chemical company, Sevalco, fined £240,000 for deliberating discharging cyanide into controlled water.

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Comments (42 posted):

Morespiders on 08/10/2009 16:47:49

I wonder if this place could catch fire one night?

Jeff Woody on 08/10/2009 17:11:33

Is this the company? - Red Industries, Ltd. engages in the collection, management, and disposal of hazardous waste. Its services include environmental consultancy, land remediation, drummed waste and bulk waste collections, on-site laboratory analysis, flammable solids recycling, electronic documentation delivery, chemical treatment and synthesis, and contaminated land remediation. The company's services also include asbestos disposal, solvent processing and recovery, sorting of laboratory smalls, waste stabilization, site survey and consultation, and oil recovery/recycling, as well as aerosols de-packing, destruction, and recycling. Red Industries Ltd. was formerly known as Grayrise Solutions Limited and changed its name to Red Industries, Ltd. in 2006. Red Industries, Ltd. was founded in 2004 and is based in Stoke-on Trent, the United Kingdom. RED INDUSTRIES LIMITED SNEYD HILL BURSLEM STOKE ON TRENT STAFFORDSHIRE ST6 2DZ Accounting Reference Date: 31/12 Last Accounts Made Up To: 31/12/2008 (SMALL) Next Accounts Due: 30/09/2010 Last Return Made Up To: 09/08/2008 Next Return Due: 06/09/2009 OVERDUE

Fin the Fish on 08/10/2009 17:30:35

I can but hope Spiders! This news absolutely sickens me, I've been delighted at the gradual improvement of the Trent over the last few years and the clarity has been unbelievable this season - much to the dismay of some anglers but to my great pleasure . However there is still much to be done and many pollutants and fertilisers still plague the river. An incident like this is just wrong on so many levels, and doesn't so much reverse many years work by many people as s**t all over it. The company responsible make a lot of fuss about being good to the environment on their website and their mission statement makes the claim that: 'We will become the UK's most valued company to customers, colleagues, investors, business partners, environment and the communities where we work and live.' So what value do they have? maybe their buildings will make good firewood, perhaps the people responsible will make excellent rubby dubby and barbel baits if appropriately slaughtered and ground down, maybe it would give me and thousands of other anglers great enjoyment to see them hung drawn and quartered. Perhaps these are harsh words, but then perhaps ruining an entire ecological system is a little harsh too. If anyone would like to give these people a few encouraging words on how to run their business in future their website is: http://www.redindustries.co.uk/index.html And their real world address is: Sneyd Hill Burslem Stoke-on Trent Staffordshire ST6 2DZ Tel: 01782 824026 Fax: 01782 824027

Jeff Woody on 08/10/2009 17:42:43

Red Industries 'Vision' - "Values To achieve our Purpose and Mission, we affirm our values of Integrity, Innovation, Leadership, Performance, Teamwork, Customer Focus, Respect for People, Community and Environment." And - "Environment Red believes that good business performance and good environmental performance are inextricably linked. We therefore wish to stimulate and maintain a high degree of environmental awareness both inside and outside the company. The way we manage and operate our processes and minimise waste, the way we use energy efficiently and conserve our resources, the way we protect wildlife around our sites, are all examples of our commitment – and a normal part of our daily business." Doesn't look like it's worked. :mad::mad::mad:

Ron The Hat Clay on 08/10/2009 18:19:17

Under the contact section of their website, I have sent a message to their CEO. Briefly it tells of my own disgust at their actions and hope that the CEO and board is prosecuted and sentenced to long terms of imprisonment and that the name of their company will in future be regarded as a pariah amongst British Industry!

J K on 08/10/2009 21:41:55

This is their environmental policy taken from their website. The bold italics are mine. Environmental Policy Page 1 of 1 Red Industries is committed to the management of its environmental affairs in a caring and responsible manner. The Company recognises its role in the protection of the environment and under this policy seeks to ; • Comply with all applicable legislation and good environmental practice • Improve Environmental performance by setting objectives and targets and review regularly • Regularly evaluate its activities to achieve improvements in overall environmental performance • Provide training to employees to achieve a high degree of environmental awareness • Develop and maintain activities to protect and enhance the environment and prevent pollution • Identify environmental risks and aspects and use all practical measures to bring these down. • Reduce our impact upon the environment by using energy efficiently and conserving resources • Operate a policy of openness with third parties • Ensure that all suppliers and contractors operate to the same environmental standards as Red Industries. • This policy is situated on notice boards throughout the organisation and on the Company’s website [url=http://www.redindustries.co.uk]www.redindustries.co.uk The ultimate responsibility for environmental performance lies with the Managing Director who will ensure that it is given equal priority with other major business objectives. Implementation of this policy is a line management responsibility at all levels together with participation of all employees. Adam Share Managing Director Signature …………………………………………

The bad one on 09/10/2009 00:10:13

Welcome to the world of environmental greenwash of big Business! Words, words, words for public consumption! The reality is get away with whatever we can at the lowest cost greatest profit for us attitude!

alan whittington on 09/10/2009 05:38:26

This incident must lead to massive legal action against the company concerned and custodial sentancing MUST take place else the company will liquidate,no fine will be paid and no punishment taken,anything less would be a total travesty.

Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC) on 09/10/2009 09:10:43

I just sent an email to Red Industries asking for a quotation as follows: Hello URGENT Please quote me price and delivery for restoration of fish stocks and wildlife and decontamination of the River Trent. Yours disgusted MC

MarkTheSpark on 10/10/2009 10:06:55

Some of these haz. waste disposal companies are a menace. A great many are basically scrap merchants who've seen £ signs in their eyes. I'm not making any allegation about Red Industries, but I've read about these people containerising their waste and sending it abroad, putting it on ships which they then scuttle, and finding any means of not actually dealing with the waste legally. Let's see who goes to jail for this.

CAT on 11/10/2009 10:32:13

I have just e-mailed the B******S to say what i think of their company and its inadequate contamination controls but we should all get ourselves up there and show them we mean business cos If you mess with our fish then your messing with us fishermen! Dumping a ton of dead poisoned fish on their own door step would be good for starters! YOU SHALL RESPECT OUR RIVER!!!!!!

Fin the Fish on 11/10/2009 11:48:16

Funny you should say that CAT, I was chatting with a friend about posting them some frozen deadbaits (with the packaging removed of course so they look like wild fish). Tomorrow when my local tackle shop opens I will be buying not pike bait but ammunition from their freezer. I would use fish from the Trent itself but I am too far downstream of the pollution for it to have reached me and killed anything (thank God!). However I feel extremely strongly about this, how its made the staffordshire lot feel I can only imagine! Is there anything we can all do together (legally of course) to really bring these ***** to their knees? suggestions anyone?

alan whittington on 11/10/2009 20:36:36

Fin as i posted earlier in this thread,unless those responsable are imprisoned the company will go to the wall(under the weight of the fine)and not a sole will be punished,lets be honest i havnt heard a lot from the houses of parliement either.One thing i must say is that if i went out and poured cyanide over a dog in the street i would be arrested and locked up(and rightly so),but when a shower of s**t kill many thousands(millions probably)of fish and i take it mammals,birds and millions of insects and invertabrates people are still walking,this country is bloody disgusting and perhaps it would be better left to the eastern europeans to finish it off.:mad:

Graham Marsden on 12/10/2009 08:31:52

Sign the Petition!

Fin the Fish on 12/10/2009 17:04:10

Graham would it be possible to put this petition up on FM's front page? I think it needs all the attention we can give it.

Graham Marsden on 12/10/2009 19:19:54

I'll see what I can do.

Ron The Hat Clay on 13/10/2009 06:03:54

I'll see what I can do. Well done Graham!

Graham Marsden on 13/10/2009 06:27:08

I'll leave this on the home page as a 'headline' article for at least a week.

Fred Bonney on 18/10/2009 08:48:49

I spoke to my post lady yesterday. Guess what? The talk among her fellow workers was," if only I had voted in the ballot, we may have a job in the future"! ---------- Post added at 09:48 ---------- Previous post was at 09:47 ---------- Page 8 Sunday Times, Fines Fail to stop river polluters the theme gets nearly half a page but, no mention of petition! Mark Lloyd and Anglers Trust get's a quote though.

Stealph Viper on 18/10/2009 08:49:46

Fred, Only Union members can vote in a Ballot, if they're not members they get no say. Now there is hell up other proposals to bring in Temporary workers to cover the strike action dates. Sorry, but, i say Tough.

Fred Bonney on 18/10/2009 08:56:32

Well my friend in your eagerness to post something, you have taken my analogy and turned it into something else.:mad: They are Union members, but as usual apathy rules, in their case with the possible loss of their jobs, and you not ever getting letters in the post. If anglers don't add their names to the petition and let apathy rule, we may find we have no fish in our rivers. TOUGH Simples!!!

Stealph Viper on 18/10/2009 09:14:28

I think you are confusing Apathy with Choice. The action of the Strikes could end up being the end of the Postal System anyway. If they continue to Strike for better pay, and better hours, and less work etc etc and the cost of providing this service keeps going up then we the public pay more and more for the same service we were getting before. To compare the Postal Service to the Angling Trust is sheer nonsense. If the Postal Service goes bump, believe me there will be enough companies out there willing to pick up were they have left off. Some of you need to take your Apathy hats off and look at the Big Picture here, A group of workers are not happy about the amount of pay they are getting, some think, ok, it could be better but it could also be a lot worse, and then some think, hey the pays actually quite good, times are difficult for everyone, the working conditions are not bad etc etc and they value there job above all else. To call the ones who are not union members, who have not voted because they don't agree with it Apathetic, is pathetic and stupid and single minded trash. That is their job, there future as well, and if they don't agree with it, they bloody well should stick to there principals, and good on them for doing so. Tell me, does anyone here think that the Postal Workers, are under paid, do they have a difficult job, are they entitled to a wage rise above the national average.

Fred Bonney on 18/10/2009 09:18:46

You just don't get it do you, no comparisom, just showing the signs of apathy exists in everything we do. It's got sweet ****all to do with workers rights or pay scales If we don't take advantage of our God (or parliament) given right to speak out...we loose out!!!!!

Stealph Viper on 18/10/2009 09:35:23

It's got sweet ****all to do with workers rights or pay scales Then tell me Fred, why are they striking ? Are you saying then that they are striking because other workers have not joined the Union, NO, they are striking because of workers rights and pay scales, absolutely nothing else. What you are saying if Ludicrous, Apathy, because they're not in the Union and there for didn't vote on the strike action, the same ones who will go to work and get called scabs by there unapathetic work colleagues, and why, because they chose not join a profit making union. I hate that word Apathy, it is to easy a word to use with only meaning to one side, it's like the word Love and Hate, people use it to freely without thinking of the consequences them words can have on others. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR, I ain't posting on this subject anymore, i've made my point clear enough :D

Fred Bonney on 18/10/2009 09:41:21

Oh for **** sake,this thread is about POLLUTION not about workers rights, start a new thread. IT WAS AN ANALOGY about APATHY

Stealph Viper on 18/10/2009 09:43:26

You started it, and please don't raise your voice at me, just because i won :D HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Fred Bonney on 18/10/2009 09:48:53

Ok I give in........ Where is that shakes head in amazement Smilie, when you want one???

Stealph Viper on 18/10/2009 09:53:03

It's already on your Avatar :D

MarkTheSpark on 18/10/2009 11:25:19

There's little doubt in my mind - confirmed by the leaked letter last week - that Mandy and Crozier are doing a spot of union-busting. This will be essential if they are to flog off the Royal Mail. The posties aren't after any more money, just to have what they have been promised. Thanks for thr tip-off about the Sunday Times. Just off to get one

salmonella on 18/10/2009 13:50:19

Page 8 Sunday Times, Fines Fail to stop river polluters the theme gets nearly half a page but, no mention of petition! Mark Lloyd and Anglers Trust get's a quote though. It's also on 'Times on-line': http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6879440.ece From The Sunday Times October 18, 2009 Fines fail to stop river polluters Steven Swinford WATER companies and factories are threatening to undo two decades of work to clean Britain’s rivers by continuing to spew out sewage and chemicals. They are largely responsible for 1,500 serious pollution offences in the past five years, killing hundreds of thousands of fish and destroying wildlife habitats and ecosystems. Yet the average fine for each breach was just £4,411, the Environment Agency has revealed. Critics claim the penalties — a fraction of the firms’ multi-million pound profits — are failing to deter the polluters. They are also concerned about the agency’s move to hand water companies responsibility for monitoring and reporting pollution. Campaigners say it amounts to self-regulation and will be open to abuse. “The punishment does not meet the crime at all,” said Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat environment spokesman. “It makes no sense to put the power to monitor waterways in the hands of people who are guilty of polluting them.” Mark Lloyd, chief executive of the Angling Trust, said: “These fines are meaningless to huge companies whose primary concern is profit.” In 1989, The Sunday Times launched its Water Rats campaign to expose companies routinely polluting UK rivers. Although water quality has improved dramatically since then, there are still more than 400 breaches each year. Water companies have been prosecuted 342 times in the past five years. The worst offender was South West Water which was prosecuted for 42 pollution offences. However, the most damaging incident involved Thames Water, which has committed 30 offences and has been fined £481,000 since 2004. In September 2007, employees cleaning filters at the company’s sewage works in Beddington, south London, accidentally allowed sodium hypochlorite, a bleach, to be released into the Wandle. Within a few hours, a three-mile stretch of the river was in effect stripped of life. In January this year Thames Water was fined £125,000 with £21,335 court costs. It also gave the Wandle Trust, a conservation charity, £500,000 to help restore the river. The combined sum is less than the annual pay of David Owens, the company’s chief executive. Anglian Water is also a repeat offender, having been fined a total of £328,405 for 20 incidents of water pollution. In some cases, water companies have been able to pump raw sewage into waterways without fear of prosecution. When the industry was privatised in 1989 the government granted water firms a temporary exemption on 20,000 overflow pipes. In 2007 environmental campaigners discovered that 4,193 of the pipes remained unregulated. A year earlier, tens of thousands of fish had been killed along a 10-mile stretch of the River Don when sewage from Sheffield and Rotherham poured through one of these unregulated overflow pipes. The pollution was so bad that local anglers reported fish trying to jump out of the water. In July this year the agency announced that it planned restrictions on all remaining unregulated pipes. Water companies responded by launching appeals on 3,959 of them. Factories, farms and other industries have been responsible for 832 serious incidents in the last five years and paid fines totalling £3.74m. Earlier this month sewage and cyanide found its way into the Trent, killing thousands of fish. The Environment Agency has linked the leak to Red Industries, a metal production factory in Stoke-on-Trent. The Environment Agency said: “Over the last 15 years the number of water pollution incidents has fallen by just over 90%. Nevertheless, 440 incidents a year is 440 too many.” Thames Water said it had improved its pollution record but claimed that progress could be jeopardised if companies were not allowed to raise bills. I've emboldened Tim Farron's words, as well as those of Mark Lloyd, as I think it's refreshing to see a mainstream politician (Lib/Dem Environment) speaking so wisely on the subject; who knows - the Liberal Democrats may do really well in the next election.

Fred Bonney on 18/10/2009 17:06:09

Well found Salmonella, I looked for the on-line report but couldn't see it

Jeff Woody on 18/10/2009 19:32:12

"Mark Lloyd, chief executive of the Angling Trust, said: " That, I like. Recognition!!!

Fred Bonney on 21/10/2009 21:35:38

Only 11 to go for the first 1000!

alan whittington on 22/10/2009 09:45:36

As per usual Fred the apathy sets in, there should have been thousands already,but people cant be bothered,Kieth Arthur may have an opinion(like i)that custodial sentancing is suitable,but that shouldnt have stopped him trying to unite anglers(and non anglers)to show their disapproval in a massive way and then stands there and expects all fishermen to join the AT,there seems nothing that can get anglers to unite and fight,w*****s the lot of us.:mad:

Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC) on 22/10/2009 09:49:08

It's because there is nothing stopping most anglers going fishing tomorrow, next week, next month or next year (apart from the wife!). There is no 'clear and present danger', so to speak. When there is, anglers will prick up their ears, but it will be too late then.

alan whittington on 23/10/2009 12:07:12

Thats right,but its a shame,when i rang 'talksport's f'mans blues' some while ago bringing up my fears on the middle Thames,i was attacked verbally,to which i say tough im a big boy now(too bl**dy big),so i put up with it,but in the Trents case its a fact,the river has been murdered and anglers,with all caring inhabitants of this country should be shocked and be determined to poke and prod to find some way of punishing these b******s properly.

Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC) on 23/10/2009 12:10:37

What is sad is that some of the Trent anglers effected by the recent pollution MAY join the angling trust in support, while others will just look for somewhere else to fish.

alan whittington on 23/10/2009 12:37:08

That may be true but i feel the legal system is rigged in favour of businesses and there may only be so much the AT can persue,and this petition,if it had enough followers may show our govnt. how strong public feeling is,lets be perfectly honest about this,if this was about cruelty to cats or dogs there would be thousands signed up,nobody gives a toss about our rivers,unless they watch on autumnwatch or something similar,personally i would like the owners hung for their wrong doing,but thats not going to happen so a just punishment MUST be meted out,and that comes from an angler who hasnt fished the Trent for many years,this shouldnt happen to any river,brook or stream in this day and age.

Neil Degg on 28/10/2009 13:29:42

Not sure if this is the right place to post this: We have organised a meeting to disguss the recent pollution incident, whats happened, where's affected and more importantly the future of the affected areas. Mark Owen Environmental campaigns manager for the Angling Trust, will be speaking. Date of meeting will be friday 27th November at Doveridge village club, postcode DE6 5JZ Start time will be 8.00pm Hopefully we can get a good turn out. It is important. Everyone is welcome.

Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC) on 28/10/2009 13:39:07

Hi Neil I think it would help if you were to introduce yourself and explain who you represent. Who is the 'we' you mention? Matt Corker

MarkTheSpark on 28/10/2009 16:05:15

Neil. I would, if I were you, start a new post for this in the Fishing>General area. It will then get a lot more attention. And it deserves more attention. ---------- Post added at 09:05 ---------- Previous post was at 09:04 ---------- And what Corkers says....

Neil Degg on 31/10/2009 12:06:09

Thanks for your advice. Sorry it's took a couple of days to reply, but I've been quite busy. I'm the secretary of a club which has waters downstream of the affected area. Even though our club waters seem to be unaffected, after the many worried phone calls and emails I felt there was a need to get some information about what's happened, where's affected, what the future holds and what as anglers we can do to help to prevent such a tragedy happening again. I didn't think it mattered who I was representing and didn't want to come over as a billy big *******s, so just said we. I'm just an ordinary angler who fishes one of the greatest fisheries in the country, that in some areas has been totally destroyed. Hope that as many people as possible can make the meeting, we need to show unity and to show we care, together we can make a difference.

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