23-May-2006 - Bio-diesel
producer Global Commodities of Shipdham, Norfolk
was today fined a total of £24,000 and ordered
to pay £5,282 in costs following a prosecution
brought by the Environment Agency.
The company, which produces
bio-diesel from waste cooking oil, pleaded guilty
to nine offences including the pollution of a
local watercourse and operating outside its permit.
Swaffham magistrates were told that, between the
end of December 2004 and January 2005, used cooking
oil escaped from the site, entering a nearby drainage
ditch.
Local residents alerted the environment Agency
when the watercourse, which runs past several
homes in the village, was covered in an oily,
red film of liquid. The court heard that the pollution
had a strong smell that was reminiscent of a chip
shop. One resident was particularly alarmed when
both his pet cat and dog returned home smothered
in oil.
Global Commodities operate the
site under a permit issued by the Environment
Agency, which is responsible for regulating the
site. At the outset of operation the company had
described their process as an ‘essentially closed
system’ from which it was ‘difficult to envisage
how material might accidentally (be) released
into surface waters.’ Based on this the Environment
Agency judged that the site would have an ‘intrinsically
low environment impact’ and a low risk, low cost
permit was issued.
Under the permit held, if the
company wishes to make alterations to their process
they must seek the approval of the environment
agency, which assesses any possible environmental
impact.
The company ignored previous
warnings, making a series of changes that significantly
altered their operation and increased the risk
to the environment, which meant a low risk permit
was no longer appropriate. By extending its process
beyond that allowed, the company had deliberately
or recklessly broken the law, the court was told.
The magistrates heard that the
defendant’s actions had been prompted by financial
motives in that the process was altered to increase
the scale of production and the company had avoided
the cost of a full permit. Accordingly the defendant
had avoided fees of at least £14,245.
Global Commodities installed
and operated a steam wash and passive condenser
system, failed to make sure that storage tanks
were contained (bunded) in case of leaks, and
accumulated and disposed of quantities of special
waste on several occasions without permission.
After the hearing Environment
Agency officer Alan Krailing said: ‘The company
has shown little regard for the impact of its
operations on the environment. Had they complied
fully with the conditions of their permit and
informed us about the key changes on site, the
pollution may not have happened.’
Global Commodities has a previous
conviction when in March 2005 Thetford magistrates
sentenced the company to a fine of £17,000
and ordered it to pay costs of £2,949 for
failing to operate within permitted hours.
Global Commodities pleaded guilty
to:
1. Between 20th September 2004 and 25th January
2006 at premises at Unit 4, Old Foundry, Market
Street, Shipdham, Norfolk [the site] as the holder
of a Pollution Prevention and Control Permit [BM1024]
issued to you by the Environment Agency on 9th
June 2002 pursuant to the Pollution Prevention
and Control (England and Wales) Regulations 2000
you operated a permitted installation otherwise
than in accordance with condition 2.1.1 in that
you put into operation a steam wash and a passive
condenser system which had not been included or
described in your application to operate an installation
at the said site. Contrary to Regulation 32(1)(b)
Pollution Prevention and Control (England and
Wales) Regulations 2000. Fined £4,000.
2. Between 20th September 2004
and 25th January 2006 at premises at Unit 4, Old
Foundry, Market Street, Shipdham, Norfolk [the
site] as the holder of a Pollution Prevention
and Control Permit [BM1024] issued to you by the
Environment Agency on 9th June 2002 pursuant to
the Pollution Prevention and Control (England
and Wales) Regulations 2000 you operated a permitted
installation otherwise than to the extent authorised
by the permit granted by putting into operation
a steam wash and passive condenser system. Contrary
to Regulation 32(1)(a) Pollution Prevention and
Control (England and Wales) Regulations 2000.
Fined £4,000
3. Between the 28th February
2004 and 1st April 2004 at the premises at Unit
4, Old Foundry, Market Street, Shipdham, Norfolk
[the site] as the holder of a Pollution Prevention
and Control Permit [BM1024] issued to you by the
Environment Agency on 9th June 2002 pursuant to
the Pollution Prevention and Control (England
and Wales) Regulations 2000 you implemented changes
to the operation of the permitted installation,
namely, by adding a steam wash and a passive condenser
system without notifying the Environment Agency
in writing 14 days prior to making the change
as required by Regulation 16 of the said Regulations.
Contrary to Regulation 32(1)(c) Pollution Prevention
and Control (England and Wales) Regulations 2000.
Fined £4,000
4. Between the 25th December
2004 and 29th January 2005 from premises at Unit
4, Old Foundry, Market Street, Shipdham, Norfolk,
you caused or knowingly permitted poisonous, noxious,
or polluting matter to enter controlled waters,
knowingly an un-named watercourse at Shipdham,
Norfolk. Contrary to Regulation 85 (1) and (6)
Water Resources Act 1991. Fined £2,000
5. Between the 7th October 2004
and 3rd March 2005 at premises at Unit 4, Old
Foundry, Market Street, Shipdham, Norfolk as the
holder of a Pollution Prevention and Control Permit
[BM1024] issued to you by the Environment Agency
on 9th June 2002 pursuant to the Pollution Prevention
and Control (England and Wales) Regulations 2000
you operated a Permitted Installation otherwise
than in accordance with condition 2.1.1 by failing
to ensure all storage vessels were bunded as described
in your application to operate an installation
at the said site. Contrary to Regulation 32(1)(b)
Pollution Prevention and Control (England and
Wales) Regulations 2000. Fined £2,000.
6. On or about 15th July 2004
at Unit 4, Old Foundry, Market Street, Shipdham,
Norfolk [the site] as the holder of a Pollution
Prevention and Control Permit [BM1024] issued
to you by the Environment Agency on 9th June 2002
pursuant to the Pollution Prevention and Control
(England and Wales) Regulations 2000 you operated
a permitted installation otherwise than in accordance
with condition 2.1.1 in that you accumulated and
disposed of a quantity of special waste within
the meaning of the Special Waste Regulations 1996
when such waste arisings were not described in
your application to operate an installation at
the said site. Contrary to Regulation 32(1)(b)
Pollution Prevention and Control (England and
Wales) Regulations 2000. Fined £2,000.
7. On or about 2nd August 2004
at Unit 4, Old Foundry, Market Street, Shipdham,
Norfolk [the site] as the holder of a Pollution
Prevention and Control Permit [BM1024] issued
to you by the Environment Agency on 9th June 2002
pursuant to the Pollution Prevention and Control
(England and Wales) Regulations 2000 you operated
a permitted installation otherwise than in accordance
with condition 2.1.1 in that you accumulated and
disposed of a quantity of special waste within
the meaning of the Special Waste Regulations 1996
when such waste arisings were not described in
your application to operate an installation at
the said site. Contrary to Regulation 32(1)(b)
Pollution Prevention and Control (England and
Wales) Regulations 2000. Fined £2,000.
8. On or about 8th November
2004 at Unit 4, Old Foundry, Market Street, Shipdham,
Norfolk [the site] as the holder of a Pollution
Prevention and Control Permit [BM1024] issued
to you by the Environment Agency on 9th June 2002
pursuant to the Pollution Prevention and Control
(England and Wales) Regulations 2000 you operated
a permitted installation otherwise than in accordance
with condition 2.1.1 in that you accumulated and
disposed of a quantity of special waste within
the meaning of the Special Waste Regulations 1996
when such waste arisings were not described in
your application to operate an installation at
the said site. Contrary to Regulation 32(1)(b)
Pollution Prevention and Control (England and
Wales) Regulations 2000. Fined £2,000.
9. On or about 22nd November
2004 at Unit 4, Old Foundry, Market Street, Shipdham,
Norfolk [the site] as the holder of a Pollution
Prevention and Control Permit [BM1024] issued
to you by the Environment Agency on 9th June 2002
pursuant to the Pollution Prevention and Control
(England and Wales) Regulations 2000 you operated
a permitted installation otherwise than in accordance
with condition 2.1.1 in that you accumulated and
disposed of a quantity of special waste within
the meaning of the Special Waste Regulations 1996
when such waste arisings were not described in
your application to operate an installation at
the said site. Contrary to Regulation 32(1)(b)
Pollution Prevention and Control (England and
Wales) Regulations 2000. Fined £2,000.
