LacPatrick Dairies (NI) Ltd fined for polluting waterway

LacPatrick Dairies (NI) Ltd pleaded guilty and was fined £2,500 plus £15 Offenders Levy at Coleraine Magistrates Court today (Friday) for causing a polluting discharge to enter a waterway.
By Community reporter
Published 7th Jun 2019, 17:02 BST
Golden scales of justice, gavel and books wood brown backgroundGolden scales of justice, gavel and books wood brown background
Golden scales of justice, gavel and books wood brown background

On November 9, 2017, Water Quality Inspectors (WQIs), acting on behalf of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) visited the LacPatrick Anaerobic Digester on the Creamery Road, Coleraine.

The Inspector examined an inspection chamber and discovered a flow of green coloured liquid, a strong odour of silage effluent was detected. In accordance with procedures a tripartite sample was collected.

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A short time later the Inspectors and representative from LacPatrick AD examined the inspection chamber, the flow in the bottom of the chamber was visually clean with no detectable odour.

The Inspectors and representatives observed digestate actively discharging to a storm water gully. During further examinations, grey coloured liquid was observed flowing across the yard and discharging to a storm water gully.

The samples taken during this investigation confirmed that the discharges contained poisonous, noxious or polluting matter which was potentially harmful to fish life in the receiving waterway.

Anyone wishing to report a pollution incident can call the 24 hour Water Pollution Hotline on: 0800 80 70 60.

Related topics:InspectorsColeraine