Lewes College Fined £50,000 For Pollution - Killing More Than 1,500 Fish

Plumpton College in East Sussex has been fined £50,000 after polluting a stream, killing more than 1,500 fish.

The college was also ordered to pay costs of almost £45,000 at Hove Crown court on Friday.

The Environment Agency said they prosecuted the agricultural college for causing the deaths of fish, many of which were protected species.

Judge Shani Barnes said the Environment Agency worked tirelessly to bring the college into regulatory compliance over previous years.

The court heard on 29 and 30 November 2016, contaminated water containing a high amount of cow slurry was spread as fertiliser onto a field known as 15 Acres, at Wales Farm, now called Lambert Farm, managed by Plumpton College.

This work was carried out by head herdsman Stuart Duncan, despite the volume spread being many times more than the field could absorb.

As the ground was also frozen, much of the contaminated water ran off into ditches and land drains, which then flowed into the nearby Plumpton Mill Stream.

The pollution was classified as a category one incident by the Environment Agency – its most serious level.

The stream reportedly smelled strongly of slurry, and the watercourse was visibly brown with foam on the top.

The Environment Agency became aware of the incident after it was reported by a member of the public.

The college did not report the pollution had occurred, and nor did it have an emergency plan in place for dealing with slurry spillage.

The Environment Agency had been in regular contact to advise the college on its management and operations on number occasions since 2011, because of concerns about incidents and non-compliances with agricultural regulations.

The college admitted the incident was the result of a mistake by a member of staff.

They conceded the actions taken to spread the slurry were wrong, as the weather conditions and field were not suitable for this to take place.

Prior to sentencing, Duncan accepted a formal caution for his actions contributing to the incident.

Ed Schmidt, environment management team leader in Sussex for the Environment Agency, said:

“Poor management, a lack of contingency planning and inadequate infrastructure at the farm resulted in a totally avoidable pollution incident that had a disastrous effect on the local environment.

“It is even more disappointing that a college that specialises in agricultural practices and teaches farmers of the future failed to take all reasonable actions, and was wholly negligent in preventing this incident from occurring in the first place.

“The outcome of this case should be a clear and strong message to all people working within the farming industry to ensure they think about the actions they take when managing highly polluting liquids.

“Ensure you are compliant with codes of practice, take the time to review your procedures. Consider seeking advice from the Environment Agency or qualified consultants, check and maintain your infrastructure and test your emergency planning and response to accidental incidents.”

Plumpton College, of Ditchling Road, Lewes, pleaded guilty at Lewes Crown court last year to the offence.

Costs of £44,852.66 against the college were awarded.