24/02/2006 - A Wirral
distribution company responsible for an
oil spillage into a brook has been fined
£8,000 and ordered to pay costs of
£5,854. Approximately 5,000 litres
of bio-diesel, consisting of 95% low sulphur
diesel and 5% rape seed oil, spilled into
Arrowe Brook after a vehicle reversed into
a fuel oil tank at Wirral Business Park
in Upton. The tank was being used by DHL
Freight and Contract Logistics Ltd as a
temporary fuel store in the event of a fuel
dispute.
The Environment Agency attended the site
after being alerted by Merseyside Fire Brigade
and the defendant company. Environment Agency
Officers discovered that the fuel had entered
the brook via surface water drains located
on the company’s car park. The officers
took samples and told the regional operations
director of the company that clean up works
needed to be arranged.
The following day the officers revisited
the site and saw that oil absorbent booms
had been put in place to trap any surface
contamination.
An Ecological Appraisal Officer from the
Agency revealed that the spill had a significant
impact on the invertebrate population for
at least two kilometres and suspected impact
on at least a further six kilometres.
Speaking after the hearing Environmental
Crime Officer Dave Hogg said: "The
actions of the company were reckless in
admission by their failure to ensure adequate
protection measures in the use of the tank.
"In hindsight the company recognised
that a more rigid or robust protection system
should have been placed around the tank.
While we welcome any lessons learnt, it
is clearly a large company that has the
capacity to invest in resources to ensure
it doesn’t pollute the environment."
Companies can find out about their environmental
responsibilities by contacting the Environment
Agency on 08708 506 506 or visiting www.netregs.gov.uk.
The site provides guidance on how to comply
with environmental law as well as good advice
on environmental practice. Pollution prevention
guidance is available at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/ppg.
Members of the public can report environmental
incidents by contacting 0800 80 70 60.
Notes
On Thursday 23 February 2006 at Wirral
Magistrates’ Court, DHL Freight and Contract
Logistics (UK) Limited, of Orbital Park,
178-188 Great South West Road, Hounslow,
Middlesex, was found guilty of the following
offence:
On 7 February 2005 at Arrowe Brook Road,
Upton, Wirral, it caused polluting matter
to enter controlled waters, namely Arrowe
Brook, contrary to section 85(1) and section
85(6) of the Water Resources Act 1991.
