Home / Environment / Sausage Casing Firm Fined for Fish Kill
Sausage Casing Firm Fined for Fish Kill
25 Mar
Summary
- 1.8 million litres of contaminated water released into Bothlin Burn.
- Pollution caused 'devastation' to aquatic life, killing scores of fish.
- Devro (Scotland) Limited fined £48,000 for environmental breach.
A significant pollution incident occurred in July 2021 when Devro (Scotland) Limited discharged 1.8 million litres of contaminated wastewater into Bothlin Burn, a stream in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. A fat blockage in the company's waste drainage system caused effluent to back up and spill into a surface water pipe leading to the burn.
The discharged wastewater contained high levels of ammonia and elevated levels of biochemical and chemical oxygen demand, resulting in "short-term gross pollution." This contamination caused "devastation" to the aquatic life in the burn, with numerous dead fish and invertebrates discovered.
Following public reports of a "milky, opaque appearance" and a "horrible" smell, investigations by Sepa confirmed the severe environmental impact. Devro (Scotland) Limited pleaded guilty to breaching water environment legislation and was subsequently fined £48,000, with an additional £3,600 victim surcharge, at Airdrie Sheriff Court on Tuesday.
This marks the company's second conviction for polluting Bothlin Burn. Authorities stressed the incident was foreseeable and preventable, urging businesses to ensure proper understanding, maintenance, and design of drainage systems to protect local water environments.
