27/06/2005 - Three Ceredigion
farmers were fined a total of £1,250
at Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court yesterday
(Tuesday) after pleading guilty to polluting
local streams with cypermethrin sheep dip.
John Timothy Williams of Capeli Farm, Creuddyn
Bridge, was fined £500 for causing
cypermethrin sheep dip to enter a tributary
of the Nant Creuddyn, which is itself a
tributary of the River Teifi. He was also
ordered to pay £500 legal costs to
Environment Agency Wales, which brought
the prosecution.
The Court was told that on 20 August 2004
an Agency Officer carried out an investigation
on the Nant Creuddyn. This revealed that
a pollutant had virtually wiped out the
invertebrate life at the lower reaches of
the river. Further detailed investigations
established a source of cypermethrin pollution
was a tributary leading from Capeli Farm.
Williams indicated to officers that he
had some 1,700 sheep and had treated his
lambs in a sheep shower situated on the
farmyard some three weeks previously. Williams
added that he had used a licensed sheep
dip containing cypermethrin as the active
ingredient. The farmyard did not benefit
from a sealed drainage system. This could
have prevented escape of cypermethrin into
a nearby surface water drain leading to
the river from the sheep shower activity.
This practice does not comply with the code
of good practice available on the Use and
disposal of Sheep Dip chemicals.
The evidence gathered clearly showed that
the discharge from Capeli Farm directly
impacted 0.7 kilometers of a local tributary
and contributed to a further impact of over
six kilometers on the Nant Creuddyn.
John Huw Jones of Tynycwm Farm, Pontrhydfendigaid,
was fined £500 for causing cypermethrin
sheep dip to enter the Nant Egnant, a tributary
of the river Teifi. He was also ordered
to pay £500 legal costs to Environment
Agency Wales, which brought the prosecution.
The Court was told that on 6 October 2004
Agency Officers carried out a biological
survey of several tributaries of the River
Teifi near Pontrhydfendigaid. That survey
revealed that invertebrate life in one such
tributary, the River Mwyro was severely
depleted and that the source of the pollution
was a tributary of the Mwyro, the Nant Egnant.
Further detailed investigations established
the source of the problem was a culvert
near Tyncwm Farm. At the time of the investigation
it was apparent that following recent heavy
rain a channel had formed along the side
of the culvert and run-off running from
the tarmac road leading to Tyncwm farm was
entering the Nant Egnant via this channel.
The sheep dip at Tyncwm Farm is situated
immediately adjacent to the lane leading
to the farm. In correspondence with the
Agency Jones indicated that the dipping
bath had been used to dip sheep at the beginning
of October. It had been a particularly wet
day with heavy showers and it was possible
that when the sheep had been allowed to
stand on the farm lane after dipping any
residual dip on the fleeces, may have been
washed out by the rain onto the farm lane.
It appears that the pollutant then made
its way to the road and thereafter the river.
The evidence gathered clearly showed that
the discharge from Tyncwm Farm directly
impacted the Nant Egnant causing severe
damage to the invertebrate community. In
addition a marked toxic effect was identified
in the Nant Mwyro and the River Teifi. The
downstream limit of the effect of the pollution
was the River Teifi near Strata Florida
Abbey and in all some five kilometers of
river were affected.
Douglas Rowbotham of Penywernhir Farm,
Pontrhydfendigaid, was fined £250
for causing cypermethrin sheep dip to enter
the Cefn Mawr tributary, itself a tributary
of Nant Y Cwn, a tributary of the river
Teifi. He was also ordered to pay £250
legal costs to Environment Agency Wales,
which brought the prosecution.
The Court was told that on 13 July 2004
Agency Officers carried out a biological
survey on the Nant Y Cwn and some of its
tributaries near Pontrhydfendigaid. This
revealed that a pollutant had virtually
wiped out any invertebrate life in the stream
with a low tolerance to sheep dip pesticides.
Further detailed investigations carried
out in subsequent weeks established the
source of the problem was a tributary leading
from Penywernhir Farm.
Rowbotham indicated to an Agency Officer
that when dipping occurred a flow of water
was directed around the dip and through
the holding area. The water then drained
to the nearby stream. This was done in order
to keep the feet of the sheep clean prior
to entering the dip as this enabled the
dip to work more efficiently but in this
case had the effect of creating a pathway
to the stream for any dip compounds which
escaped during dipping.
The evidence gathered clearly showed that
the discharge from Penywernhir Farm directly
affected the Cefn Mawr tributary and Nant
Y Cwn causing severe damage to the invertebrate
community.
Speaking after the case, Gareth Jones the
Agency’s local Environment Management team
said: "These cases demonstrates how
important it is that farmers and contractors
take great care to prevent the escape of
any amount of sheep dip chemical before,
during and after sheep treatment onto any
areas which can drain into streams and rivers.
"If using cypermethrin based dips,
extremely high standards of management must
be followed. They should inspect the location
where they carry out the treatment of sheep,
and check its suitability, including the
siting of mobile treatment systems, to ensure
all of the chemical will be captured by
a sealed drainage system.
"The toxicity of these sheep dips
to the aquatic environment means that even
a few drops can cause a severe environmental
effect over kilometers of receiving streams
and rivers. In all the streams affected
there was a major reduction in invertebrate
species, particularly those sensitive to
sheep dip pesticides causing a near wipe
out of all invertebrate life in some areas.
"We will be monitoring our streams
and rivers during the current dipping season,
and we will be able to identify any incidents
of sheep dip pollution, and will not hesitate
to take enforcement action where appropriate.
I would ask farmers and sheep dip contractors
to follow the guidance available in the
Defra Code of Practice Use and disposal
of Sheep Dip compounds, which is available
from Defra or local agency offices."
