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High Quality Brook Polluted with Diesel

Author: Ben Ashmore
Date published: 14-Jul-2008

On 10 July 2008, Baggeridge Brick Plc of Hartlebury were found guilty at Kidderminster Magistrates Court to a charge of polluting the Hartlebury Brook.

The charges were brought by the Environment Agency under the Water Resources Act. Baggeridge Brick Plc were fined £12,500 and ordered to pay costs of £2,800.

For the Environment Agency, Jill Robson told the court that Hartlebury Brook is a high quality watercourse which feeds into a number of sensitive fishing pool. Several farmers and landowners also use the brook water for crop and agricultural use. The Hartlebury Brook also passes through a site of Special Scientific Interest and on the grounds of Hartlebury Castle and Museum.

On 17 July 2006, the Environment Agency received a phone call from Baggeridge Brick to say that they had lost some diesel into their surface water drains which lead to the Hartlebury Brook.

Baggeridge Brick and The Ringway Highways Depot reported the incident and Environment Agency Officers responded. There was a strong smell of diesel and the brook was running red in colour. Water samples were taken confirming that the pollutant was red diesel.

Environment Agency staff then installed pollution control equipment further downstream to protect the sensitive fishing pools at the Hartlebury castle and museum. Subsequently the pollution was traced to a Baggeridge Brick surface water discharge pipe.

In an interview with a representative of Baggeridge Brick, it was found that the spillage had occurred over an 1 hour and 3703 litres of diesel was lost to drains.

Speaking after the case Mark Roberts, an Environment Agency Officer involved in the investigation said: “Over 816 gallons of red diesel went into the Hartlebury Brook which is a high quality watercourse feeding sensitive fishing pools and used for irrigation by farmers. Baggeridge Brick’s lack of care and management meant that the environment was put at risk, I would like to thank Ringway Highways for their rapid response and assistance in this incident.”

In mitigation, the court was informed that Baggeridge Brick co-operated fully and entered a guilty plea early.

For Further Information for media contact Lyn Fraley / Ben Ashmore on 0121 711 5829/5855. Contact for media only. All other enquiries contact 08708 506 506


Doc reference: 08/138wq

Contact: pressoffice@environment-agency.gov.uk