23 Aug 2023
The Environment Agency has launched a consultation on changes to variable monetary penalties – financial penalties that can be imposed for certain environmental offences. The changes will scrap the £250,000 cap on civil penalties and significantly broaden their scope to target a wider range of environmental offences. New enforcement powers will allow the Environment Agency to apply penalties […]
23 Aug 2023
United Utilities Water Limited have been fined £800,000 after illegally abstracting 22 billion litres of water from boreholes in Lancashire following a prosecution by the Environment Agency. The Guardian reports that the company breached three-year rolling limit on abstraction licence at Fylde aquifer in 2018.
13 Jul 2023
Those that pollute the environment will face unlimited penalties under new legislation announced by the government. The current limit of £250,000 on variable monetary penalties that the Environment Agency and Natural England can impose directly on operators will be lifted, following a government consultation which received widespread public support. This will offer regulators a quicker method of […]
03 May 2023
Largest ever fine imposed for environmental offences in Devon and Cornwall as South West Water is told by court ‘incidents of pollution will no longer be tolerated’ South West Water (SWW) has been fined more than £2 million for a series of environmental offences across Devon and Cornwall spanning a period of four years. It […]
06 Dec 2022
Money from fines handed out to water companies that pollute our rivers and seas will be re-invested in schemes that benefit our natural environment, under new government plans. Water companies were handed a record amount in fines for pollution incidents last year as part of ongoing action to hold rule-breakers to account. Since 2015, the […]
13 Jul 2021
Record £90m fine for Southern Water following EA prosecution Environment Agency ‘Southern Water sentenced to pay record £90 million in fines for widespread pollution after pleading guilty to 6,971 unpermitted sewage discharges. Southern Water has today (Friday 9 July) been handed a record £90 million fine after pleading guilty to thousands of illegal discharges of […]
04 Jul 2019
Northumbrian Water has agreed to pay £1,179,500 after having been found by the Environment Agency to have committed several environmental offences. Published 26 June 2019 Environment Agency Northumbrian Water has agreed to pay an Enforcement Undertaking totalling £1,179,500 Five separate Enforcement Undertakings (EU) have been agreed with Northumbrian Water after the company accepted responsibility for […]
10 Dec 2018
Wessex Water has offered to pay £975,000 to achieve equivalent environmental benefits following a series of sewage spills in Swanage Bay, Dorset. The company also offered £25,000 compensation to Swanage RNLI Lifeboat Station as an impacted third party, taking the total pay-out to £1 million. The payment follows illegal spills in 2016 and 2017 when […]
Prev