Rachael Collins - 6-Jun-2007
- The operators of a Buckinghamshire nursing
home were fined £7,200 yesterday (5
June 2007) for discharging sewage effluent
into a local brook.
Chiltern Care Services Limited, of 34,
Queensbury Station Parade, Edgeware, Middlesex,
HA8 5NN, own and operate Cherry Tree Nursing
Home, in Saunderton, Princes Risborough.
The nursing home has up to 41 residents
and 12 staff plus visitors throughout the
day. Sewage from the nursing home is treated
at the Cherry Tree Nursing Home Sewage Treatment
Works. The treated effluent is then discharged
to Trout Hollow Brook.
To protect the environment this discharge
must conform to strict standards of quantity
and concentration (see notes to editors),
as set out in the company’s discharge consent,
authorised and monitored by the Environment
Agency.
The company pleaded guilty to two offences
of breaching this consent to discharge on
the 19 December 2005 and the 15 June 2006,
and was fined £3,600 for each offence.
Aylesbury Magistrates’ Court heard that
on the 19 December 2005 Environment Agency
officers visited the Cherry Tree Nursing
Home Sewage Treatment works as part of their
ongoing monitoring programme. Samples taken
from the site revealed that the quantity
and concentration of effluent were over
and above the levels permitted by the company’s
discharge consent. This caused the development
of sewage fungus in the brook as a result
of the organic material contained in the
discharged sewage effluent.
Chiltern Care Services Limited was notified
of these findings by the Environment Agency.
It responded that a new sewage treatment
plant, which was expected to rectify the
problem, would be installed on January 16
2006.
Samples taken in May did show that the
situation had improved. But when officers
took samples from the site on June 15 2006,
the results indicated that the new sewage
plant was still experiencing teething problems.
Tim Colebrook, one of the environment officers
dealing with this case, said: “Discharge
consents are there for a reason – and that
is to protect the environment. To ignore
the conditions of these puts the environment,
and the wildlife that lives in it, at significant
risk.
“Oxygen is essential in supporting a healthy
river ecosystem. Excessive levels of sewage
effluent cause this oxygen to be depleted
as it is used in the break down of the organic
matter. In this case we were fortunate to
not have any fish or other wildlife deaths.
However the sewage fungus shows that the
oxygen levels in the river had been quite
severely affected. Had the situation continued
to deteriorate we could have been facing
a much bigger environmental impact.
“We have an ongoing monitoring programme
to make sure that companies are sticking
to the rules, and we will prosecute those
that are not.”
Two additional offences (on 13 Jan 2006
and 31 March 2006) were also taken into
account during sentencing.
The new plant now appears to be working
efficiently and there have been no further
failures recorded since June 2006.
In addition to the fine of £7,200,
Chiltern Care Services Limited was ordered
to pay the Environment Agency’s costs of
£2,048.16.
+ More
Mending the World for Warwickshire’s Wildlife
on World Environment Day
Holly Smith - 8-Jun-2007 - On 13 June 2007
a 12 strong team of volunteers from the
Environment Agency will be ‘doing their
bit’ for World Environment Day when they
help improve habitats for bitterns and otters
in the Tame Valley.
The team will assist Warwickshire Wildlife
Trust and West Midlands Bird Club by improving
the transfer of water between the River
Tame and Lady Walk Nature Reserve, near
to Hams Hall in North Warwickshire.
The work aims to increase and maintain
water levels at the reserve to improve the
reedbed habitat for bitterns. The team will
repair a bridge to improve the public access
to the nature reserve.
The project is part of the Warwickshire
Wildlife Trusts "large area" Tame
Valley Wetland Project which encompasses
nature reserves and all other wetland sites
such as Kingsbury Water Park, privately
managed reserves and agricultural land in
the Tame Valley.
The Tame Valley Wetland Project aims to
create a large area for conservation by
working with partners to restore, improve
and create wetland and in-stream habitats
which have multi-functional benefits. The
wetlands created and protected will be rich
in wildlife and improve the Tame Valley,
making it a better place for people to enjoy
the local environment. The wetlands will
also provide better flood protection for
surrounding land.
Matt Vale, an Environment Agency officer
involved in the day, said; ‘Everybody at
the Environment Agency has been asked to
use at least one of their environmental
leave days to go out and create a better
place for people or wildlife. We have a
target to get 25 per cent of employees to
take part between 1 April 2007 and 31 March
2008. This is our way of meeting this target
and showing we can really make a difference
to the local wildlife in the area we work’
+ More
Mend the world at IKEA for World Environment
Day
Holly Smith
1-Jun-2007
On 6 June 2007 Environment Agency staff
will be in store at IKEA in Wednesbury,
West Midlands to promote World Environment
Day - which this year focuses on climate
change.
Our staff will give shoppers the opportunity
to contribute to a national survey and find
out what they can do to reduce their global
footprint.
We will be giving shoppers and staff a
chance to take part in what we hope will
be the nation’s biggest survey on climate
change ever. We will be challenging everyone
to 'Ask yourself....'
1. What's the number one thing you're doing
to tackle climate change?
2. What one extra thing could you do to
tackle climate change?
3. What's stopping you?
Rob Lunt, an Environment Agency Officer
involved in the event at IKEA said: 'It's
a great opportunity for us to work with
Ikea, who are already doing some brilliant
work in reducing their carbon footprint
as a business.’
Jason Gregory from IKEA said;‘ IKEA commits
to using renewable energy in all of their
units, aims to send no waste to landfill,
extend sustainable sourcing, set new standards
in ethical trading and help customers and
employees live a healthier lifestyle.
‘Joining forces with the Environment Agency
for World Environment Day gives us the chance
to encourage customers to think about their
impact on the environment too. If all of
us take simple steps, such as unplugging
mobile phone chargers or using a Bag for
Life, we can help to make a big difference.’
To find out more and support our bid to
create the nation’s biggest climate change
survey visit www.mendoftheworld.org
World Environment Day
World Environment Day is a United Nations
global celebration that takes place every
year on June 5. In England and Wales the
Environment Agency has been promoting the
campaign since 2004. We’ve seen a huge rise
in the numbers of people taking part, in
2004 it was just 8,000, in 2005, 25,000
and in 2006 58,000.
For 2007 the international theme is climate
change. We’re challenging everyone to ‘ask
yourself’ what you’re currently doing to
tackle climate change, what more you could
be doing and what is stopping you at the
moment?
IKEA press office: PRUK@MEMO.IKEA.COM tel
0208 233 2378
+ More
Better access for Doxey Marshes on World
Environment Day
Holly Smith - 1-Jun-2007 - For World Environment
Day, on 5 June 2007, an Environment Agency
team will get their hands dirty at Doxey
Marshes and help out one of our local partners,
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, by helping
to lay footpaths on the site.
All members of the team have volunteered
to take time out of their day jobs and give
something back to their local environment
for World Environment Day.
Doxey Marshes is designated as a Site of
Special Scientific Interest for its wet
grassland habitat and its breeding wading
birds and wildfowl. It is particularly noted
for its populations of breeding snipe.
Will Groves, an Environment Agency officer
leading the clean up at Doxey Marshes said;
‘I am really looking forward to being involved
in this conservation work in Stafford. The
whole team will be able to give some time
to improving our local environment. We will
help Staffordshire Wildlife Trust with added
manpower to do essential conservation work
in 300 acre wet grassland site, located
in the heart of the County town of Stafford.
‘At the Environment Agency everybody has
been asked to use at least one of their
environmental leave days to go out and create
a better place for people or wildlife. We
have a target to get 25 per cent of employees
to take part between 1 April 2007 and 31
March 2008. This is our way of meeting this
target and showing we can really make a
difference. ‘
World Environment Day
World Environment Day is a United Nations
global celebration that takes place every
year on June 5. In England and Wales the
Environment Agency has been promoting the
campaign since 2004. We’ve seen a huge rise
in the numbers of people taking part, in
2004 it was just 8,000, in 2005, 25,000
and in 2006 58,000.
For 2007 the international theme is climate
change. We’re challenging everyone to ‘ask
yourself’ what you’re currently doing to
tackle climate change, what more you could
be doing and what is stopping you at the
moment?
