East Midlands Airport has been fined nearly £900,000 pounds for environmental pollution
Bosses have apologised, and say they've taken "decisive action" to address water drainage.
East Midlands Airport has been fined £892,500 for polluting a brook with plane de-icer.
It pleaded guilty to three discharges in early 2022.
The Environment Agency lead the prosecution of East Midlands Airport Ltd, stating it allowed discharges of drainage water containing aircraft and runway de-icing fluid.
At Derby Crown Court today, the company was fined £892,500 for three offences of breaching environmental permits for the airport site near Nottingham.
They were also ordered to pay costs of £65,687.54.
The court was told that the offences had occurred between 14 January 2022 and 4 February 2022.
“The conditions of an environmental permit are designed to protect people and the environment. "
The airport’s operation potentially causes water pollution though the discharge of surface water drainage containing residues of de-icing fluid from aircraft and runways.
The discharge must therefore meet quality limits as set out in the airport’s environment permit. These limits are calculated to protect the environment.
Any failure to meet these limits is likely to have a chronic impact on the watercourse and result in a deterioration in water quality.
The airport’s environmental permit allows a discharge of site drainage containing a maximum level of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) of 15 mg/l.
BOD is a measure of the amount of oxygen consumed by aerobic microorganisms to decompose organic matter in a water sample and is indicative of the level of organic pollution.
However, an investigation by Environment Agency officers found that the company had significantly breached this limit on three separate occasions.
In mitigation, the company, which changed management in 2022, said it had actively engaged with the Environment Agency to improve the situation.
The court was told that the company has a poor history of permit compliance.
Prior to this case there have been 13 separate permit breaches at East Midlands Airport since 2006, resulting in 10 written warnings.
Ian Firkins, senior environment officer for the Environment Agency’s East Midlands Area, said:
“We welcome this sentence which should act as a deterrent to other companies who flout environmental legislation.
“As a regulator, the Environment Agency will not hesitate to pursue companies that fail to meet its obligations to the environment.
“The conditions of an environmental permit are designed to protect people and the environment.
“Failure to comply with these legal requirements is a serious offence that can damage the environment."
The charges:
- On 14 January 2022 failed to comply with or contravened an environmental permit condition T/57/45295/T in that the level of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) in the permitted discharge from Outlet 3, Site C of the Western Summer Pond on 14th January 2022 exceeded the limit given in Schedule 3, table S3.1 of the said permit. Contrary to Regulation 38(2) of the Environmental Permitting (England & Wales) Regulations 2016.
- On 1 February 2022 failed to comply with an environmental permit T/57/45295/T in that the level of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) in the permitted discharge from outlet 1 site A of the Eastern Summer Pond exceeded the limit given in Schedule 3, table S3.1 of the said permit. Contrary to Regulation 38(2) of the Environmental Permitting (England & Wales) Regulations 2016
- On 4 February 2022 failed to comply with an environmental permit T/57/45295/T in that the level of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) in the permitted discharge from Outlet 3, Site C of the western summer ponds on 4th February 2022 exceeded the limit given in Schedule 3, table S3.1 of the said permit. Contrary to Regulation 38(2) of the Environmental Permitting (England & Wales) Regulations 2016.
The company was fined £297,500 for each charge.
East Midlands Airport’s Managing Director Steve Griffiths said:
“I’m sorry that in 2022 there were issues with the operation of our water drainage system which led to breaches of our permit on three occasions.
“Since this period we have been working with the Environment Agency and external industry experts to carry out remedial action. We have put in place £11m of improvements, including establishing a new water management team focused on inspecting, maintaining and operating the surface water management system daily.
“We have installed new monitoring equipment at key locations which provide better insight into prevailing water quality and quantity conditions, implemented additional aeration capability which improves the way water is treated before being discharged to the watercourse, as well as carrying out comprehensive remedial works and desilting of ponds. We have also introduced a specially adapted sweeper to clean up de-icer from the airfield before it reaches the drainage system.
“I’m satisfied that the issues that led to this prosecution have been fully addressed by these measures. We take our environmental responsibilities very seriously and will continue to look at ways to minimise our environmental impact.”
The £11m of water management improvements include:
· Clearing and desilting all reservoirs and ponds
· Re-lining ponds and replacing water channels
· Deploying four new spiral aerators in the Western Reservoir to help improve the water quality before being released
· Introducing new water quality monitoring equipment, improving monitoring both in house and automated at all discharge points, along with improved recording systems and contingency plans, surveying all connecting pipework with CCTV and installing drainage flow meters
· Removing vegetation, waste and silt from all open channels across the site
· Installing improved pumping systems, automatically controlled valves and new diversion systems
· Establishing a dedicated water management team which actively engages with the EA and local communities