I
Ian Cloke
Guest
An ENERGY-from-waste company which operates a site in Holsworthy has been ordered to pay ?3,570 in fines and costs after slurry escaped into the River Tamar.The case was brought by the Environment Agency after the spill was reported by Andigestion Ltd in June this year.
Andigestion Ltd of Maidenhead, is a part of the Summerleaze group which operates from the former Holsworthy Biogas site on the edge of the town.
It takes waste and agricultural waste and converts it to energy and fertiliser.
It reported the spill of slurry from a farm store at Hele Barton Farm, Boyton, near Launceston, and said it was entering a watercourse.
The River Tamar is described as a high-quality river that is known to support significant populations of salmon and sea trout and is used extensively for recreational fishing.
The Environment Agency said an officer could immediately smell the waste and saw slurry running across fields and down a track into a small tributary.
Investigations revealed the slurry was being collected by an Andigestion employee who failed to close the sluice gates on the tank that contained approximately 300,000 litres of slurry.
Despite attempts to contain the slurry on surrounding farmland, some entered a small stream and then the River Tamar, killing three brown trout, two bullheads, and 100 minnow and stone loach.
Rodney Hill of the Environment Agency said: "The discharge of slurry was approximately 23 times stronger than crude sewage and would be considered toxic to fish and other aquatic life.
"The company has been fully co- operative during the investigation.
"The farm owner and Andigestion Ltd made efforts to remedy the effects of the pollution."
Andigestion Ltd was fined ?2,500 and ordered to pay ?1,070 costs, after pleading guilty to permitting polluting matter to enter controlled waters at East Cornwall Magistrates Court sitting in Bodmin.
Andigestion Ltd of Maidenhead, is a part of the Summerleaze group which operates from the former Holsworthy Biogas site on the edge of the town.
It takes waste and agricultural waste and converts it to energy and fertiliser.
It reported the spill of slurry from a farm store at Hele Barton Farm, Boyton, near Launceston, and said it was entering a watercourse.
The River Tamar is described as a high-quality river that is known to support significant populations of salmon and sea trout and is used extensively for recreational fishing.
The Environment Agency said an officer could immediately smell the waste and saw slurry running across fields and down a track into a small tributary.
Investigations revealed the slurry was being collected by an Andigestion employee who failed to close the sluice gates on the tank that contained approximately 300,000 litres of slurry.
Despite attempts to contain the slurry on surrounding farmland, some entered a small stream and then the River Tamar, killing three brown trout, two bullheads, and 100 minnow and stone loach.
Rodney Hill of the Environment Agency said: "The discharge of slurry was approximately 23 times stronger than crude sewage and would be considered toxic to fish and other aquatic life.
"The company has been fully co- operative during the investigation.
"The farm owner and Andigestion Ltd made efforts to remedy the effects of the pollution."
Andigestion Ltd was fined ?2,500 and ordered to pay ?1,070 costs, after pleading guilty to permitting polluting matter to enter controlled waters at East Cornwall Magistrates Court sitting in Bodmin.