Repeat offenders take the shine off pollution reductions
30 Jul 2003
The UK Environment Agency has warned that higher fines and more prosecutions are failing to stop multi-million pound businesses from committing environmental crimes.
The warning comes as the Environment Agency publishes 'Spotlight on business environmental performance 2002', its fifth annual report on good and bad environmental behaviour by businesses in England and Wales.
Repeat Spotlight offenders, who make up 20% of this year's list of poor performers, have failed to learn from previous convictions. Despite fines increasing by 36% and prosecutions by 13%, the average fine per prosecution rose to just £8,744.
Significant repeat offenders in 2002 include United Utilities (£327,500), Anglian Water Services Ltd (£285,000), Thames Water Utilities Ltd (£135,000), BP Oil (UK) Ltd (£60,000), TotalFinaElf (£54,000), 3C Waste Ltd (£17,000) and Tesco Stores Ltd (£10,000). All were top offenders in 2001 too. Many are UK stock market listed companies and claim to be leaders in corporate social responsibility.
The pollution caused by these companies despoils the environment for local communities and some pollutants put wildlife and human health at risk.
Today's findings take the shine off a 21% cut in serious pollution incidents caused by businesses (down from 1,854 in 2001 to 1,468 in 2002), as well as significant reductions in emissions of key pollutants. Particulates decreased by 34%, sulphur dioxide by 14% and nitrogen oxides by 6%. Greenhouse gas emissions from Environment Agency-regulated process reduced by 2% - despite an increase in power output of 1.5%.
Ten companies were fined over £50k. Companies taking top fines in 2002 include United Utilities (£327,500), Anglian Water Services Ltd (£285,000), Thames Water Utilities (£135,000), Shanks Waste Services Ltd (£89,000), Faccenda Group (South) Ltd (£75,000), BP Oil Ltd (£60,000), TotalFinaElf UK Ltd (£54,000), Midlands Waste Management Ltd (£54,000), S H Pratt and Company (Bananas) Ltd (£53,000), and S. Grundon (Ewelme) Ltd (£50,000).
There are still a significant number of high-street names being prosecuted for environmental offences, including Tesco Stores Ltd, BT, Stationery Box Ltd, Yoplait Dairy Crest and Tiles-R-Us (trading under F & R Dunlop Services Ltd).
The waste industry is England and Wales' most frequent polluter. Despite reducing pollution incidents by more than half (a 56% reduction, from 485 serious incidents in 2001, dropping to 212 in 2002), the waste sector was still responsible for the largest number of serious pollution incidents and had the most companies being fined over £10k. During 2002, 15 waste companies were fined over £10k.
Illegal waste disposal is a source of increasing concern. Fly-tipping continued to rise: in 2002, 14% of all serious pollution incidents were due to fly-tipping, increasing from 166 in 2001 to 200 last year (8%). One company director was jailed for 12 months for waste offences, including dumping soil polluted with mercury, arsenic and cyanide.
Fines for pollution hit the water industry hardest. During 2002, the sector was fined close to £1m- the highest of any industrial sector. Water companies are responsible for one in six serious pollution incidents affecting water, a 23% increase since 2000 (from 115 in 2000 to 150 incidents in 2002), despite a 7% improvement last year. As in 2001, management lapses are often the cause.
Significant reductions in pollution incidents have come from the metals sector (79%), the construction industry (41% reduction), and farming (20% reduction). The chemicals industry was singled out as the only sector with an increase in serious pollution incidents (47% increase, from 19 in 2001 to 28 in 2002).
In Spotlight 2002, the Environment Agency singles out businesses for environmental achievements. For example, French-Kier Anglia, Farwood Barton Farm, East Clyffe Farm, Rockwool Ltd and Hamilton Designs (Furniture) Ltd were highlighted for a range of positive actions to reduce their impact on the environment, from setting up environmental awareness clubs for staff and suppliers (French-Keir Anglian) to reducing waste going to landfill by about 9,000 lorry loads a year (Rockwool Ltd).
In addition, Huntsman Tioxide, AEP Energy Services and Castle Cement's Padeswood works were highlighted for achieving emission reductions.
Spotlight 2002 is available to download from the Environment Agency's website, under the Business and Industry webpages, which can be accessed via a link from the homepage. Alternatively, hardcopies of the report are available from the Environment Agency's public enquiry line on 0845 933 3111.
