Building firm's pollution fine

Brian Hossack • Published 23 Jun 2009 14:00

A BUILDING firm has been fined thousands of pounds after admitting dumping polluted waste into water near a luxury Inverkip housing development.

The Stewart Milne Group was convicted at Greenock Sheriff Court of releasing dangerous suspended solids into the Daff Burn which runs close to the 40-acre Ardgowan Rise estate in Spey Road.

Readings taken by officers from the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency on two separate occasions showed waste levels almost 10 times the limits considered damaging to plant, fish and marine life. The court heard SEPA staff found a section of the burn discoloured by silt pollution, which can clog the gills of fish, killing them or reducing the rate at which they grow.

The company was ordered to pay £6,000 after admitting a charge of polluting the water when the case called before Sheriff Vincent Canavan yesterday.

The court heard drainage pools in a quarry on the site, which houses 239 homes, was found to be polluted and leaking into the burn.

A legal representative of the company pleaded guilty on Monday to an amended charge of, between 21 February 2008 and 1 April 2008 at the construction site, carrying out a controlled activity liable to cause pollution to the water environment in that they did carry out construction and earthworks at the site in such a manner as to result in water contaminated with suspended solids being discharged on to ground and thereafter into an unmarked tributory of the Daff Burn.

Their actions were contrary to the Water Environment Controlled Activities Scotland Regulations 2005 and the Water Environment and Water Services Scotland Act 2003, Section 20.

Fining the firm £6,000, Sheriff Canavan said: 'I take into account the fact this is the company"s first offence, but these were substantial readings.'

SEPA"s Colin Bayes, director of environmental protection and improvement, said: 'Where pollution is significant or persistent, or is as a result of wilful or negligent actions, SEPA will use its enforcement powers to protect the environment for the benefit of all of Scotland"s citizens.'

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This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 23 Jun 09

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