Yorkshire Company Fined for Polluting River with Bleach
24 January 2025
UK News and Communications
A Yorkshire-based company has been fined £250,000 for polluting a river with bleach.
The Environment Agency (EA) prosecuted Sterling Chemicals Ltd after an investigation found that bleach had been discharged into the River Calder in Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire.
The pollution incident occurred on 27 July 2022, when a tanker containing bleach was being filled at the company’s premises. The tanker overflowed, spilling approximately 2,000 litres of bleach into the river.
The spillage caused a significant fish kill, with hundreds of dead fish observed in the river. The EA also found that the bleach had killed invertebrates and damaged the river’s ecosystem.
Sterling Chemicals Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching the Water Resources Act 1991 at Bradford Crown Court on 23 January 2025.
In addition to the fine, the company was also ordered to pay costs of £22,688.
Sentencing the company, Judge Jonathan Rose said: “This was a serious pollution incident that had a significant impact on the environment. The company should have had measures in place to prevent such an incident from happening.”
The EA welcomed the court’s decision.
Area Manager Phil Scargill said: “This prosecution sends a clear message that we will not tolerate pollution of our rivers and waterways. Companies have a responsibility to protect the environment and to ensure that their operations do not cause harm.”
Sterling Chemicals Ltd has since taken steps to improve its environmental management systems.
Additional Information:
- The bleach was used in the production of swimming pool chemicals.
- The River Calder is a major river in West Yorkshire, flowing through towns and villages including Halifax, Huddersfield, and Wakefield.
- The pollution incident occurred just upstream of the Mytholmroyd Sewage Treatment Works.
- The EA said that the bleach spill could have had a wider impact on the environment if it had not been for the quick actions of its officers.
Yorkshire company fined for polluting river with bleach
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