A Hampshire-based waste management company has been fined over £72,000 for treating sewage on a Wiltshire farm without a permit.
Cleansing Services Group Ltd. appeared before Bristol magistrates’ court yesterday (Wednesday, January 18) for sentencing on a charge of failing to comply with an exemption for the storage of sewage sludge, brought about by the Environment Agency.
It was fined £72,127 and ordered to pay £9,827.15 in costs as well as a £180 statutory surcharge. The company pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing.
According to the Environment Agency (EA), the court heard how the company was contracted to treat sewage waste at Kingsdown Farm, in Longbridge Deverill, near Warminster, in Wiltshire.
The agency said, during an investigation during October 2020, that it found that the company did not have the legally required permits to screen sewage before it entered the tanks ready for spreading on land.
The EA said a skip at the farm contained sewage “rag”, including gloves and plastic. The landowner was not involved in the work and was unaware of the unpermitted screening activities, it said.
Following the court hearing, Stephanie Marriott, of the Environment Agency, said:
“Cleansing Services Group operates nationwide, and as a large company that had gone to the trouble of applying for a judicial review, knew full well they were acting illegally at this farm.
“As a regulator, the Environment Agency will not hesitate to pursue companies that fail to meet their obligations to the environment.”
A spokesperson for Cleansing Services Group Ltd. said: “We fully accept that a managerial oversight involving a local, single tanker operation meant we did not have the required permit at this site. We consequently pleaded guilty at the first possible opportunity and accept the fine.
“This fine was due to the absence of a permit and furthermore the judge confirmed Category 4 harm – the lowest possible level .The severity of the fine was principally due to CSG being considered a large business with a high turnover.
“In handing down the sentence, the judge acknowledged that we had not sought to seek financial gain by not having a permit.
“The judge also acknowledged CSG’s exemplary record and that, despite nearly 90 years in the sewage business, we have never before been fined for our sewage practices.
“The judge also complimented CSG on our accreditations, customer training and awareness programmes and our £2m investment in enhanced treated biosolid plants.
“We are fully committed to operating to the very highest standards and within all regulations and will continue to do so right across the country.”
